Two weeks ago, the grand master key for the Longwood University academic buildings was reported missing. Students were notified by Wednesday, Jan. 25 that the university was in the process of repining all the locks for the academic buildings on campus. According to Longwood University Chief of Police Bob Beach, the grand master key was locked away in its proper place that Friday morning before everyone left.
When everyone returned on Monday morning, they discovered the key was not on the ring to use later that day. From there an internal investigation ensued to find out if anyone had borrowed the key and forgotten to return it, all the while not notifying the proper officials.
By Tuesday morning, the key was officially deemed stolen. Beach said that considering the circumstances, being as they had thoroughly investigated everyone within the department, there was no other way it could have been lost.
Sam Gilliam, an investigator for the Longwood University Police Department (LUPD), proceeded to interview a number of people who had access to the key. Unfortunately, the key was located in a place where there were simply too many people who had admission to it. Therefore, Beach said it could have been any number of people who had taken the key.
The university immediately began the process of changing out all the locks for the academic buildings on campus. In total, it took about three days for everything to be changed out. Beach said any chance of the individual who stole the key being able to use it on campus again has been eliminated. Beach also took time to comment on the good work the lock shop had done by replacing the grand master key for all of the buildings.
The safety concerns that stemmed from this incident varied due to the fact that the intentions of the individual were unknown. "We have to look at it as an all threat situation" said Beach. He explained how while the locks were being changed out on each building, officers on foot patrol had to be more thorough when making their rounds. One of the changes involved being instructed to walk inside buildings while doing their patrols about campus.
"It wasn't a tremendous threat," said Beach, "just a security hazard." Some of the buildings he mentioned that were at high risk for security breaches were Lancaster Hall and Ruffner Hall, specifically for the Registrar's Office and the many administrative offices in Ruffner. The residential halls on campus were never in any danger because they are on a different lock system involving electronic entry.
Because of the recent theft, the LUPD has put the old system up for review. The new system will be similar to that of the old one but with a few minor changes. Beach explained that the whole campus is divided up into sections and that there is a vice president for each section.
Now the vice president of each specific section on campus must sign off whenever a master key is issued to someone who needs to use it. In order for the staff to check out these keys, they must come to the LUPD station in the basement of the Dorrill Dining Hall. Beach said this procedure is "more of a revamping of what everyone has done and adhering of the policies."
