Harvard police are investigating three break-ins last week at the Oak Ridge Observatory on Pinnacle Road. Sergeant John Coates told the Press that damage to five of the 18 buildings on the property is estimated at more than $2,000. It has not yet been determined what, if anything, may have been stolen.
In the first incident, which was discovered on Oct. 7, doors were broken and windows smashed in buildings 17 and 18. Two days later, the observatory’s caretaker reported that someone had gained entry to building 16 through an open window. On Oct. 13, the caretaker reported that buildings 17 and 18 had been broken into again, along with buildings 6 and 14. Door frames, locks, and hinges had been smashed in all five buildings, and windows were broken in building 6.
According to Coates, it was apparent that someone had opened and searched through packing crates that were stored in some of the buildings. He said that although the incidents appear to be related, that has not yet been confirmed. Meanwhile, the cases are all under investigation, and Coates said police have stepped up patrols in the area.
