Amid all the Halloween chaos this weekend, eight paintings, all done by students, were stolen from Seigfred Hall.
On Monday morning, several students came into class and realized that some of their work was missing, said Christine Heindl, associate professor of painting.
It was the largest single theft since I have been here
Heindl said.
The building was supposed to be locked for the Halloween weekend, but it was left open. Heindl said she thinks the thefts were because of the unusually rowdy Halloween weekend.
Because many of the pieces are missing, each instructor will have to decide how to handle the situation. Heindl said she was lucky enough to see two of the pieces before they were stolen so she can give the students in her class a grade for the missing work.
This whole situation has been very upsetting for the students she said.
Robin Lavrusky, an Ohio University senior, was one of the students who had her art stolen.
It was crushing to find out that a piece that I have been working on since the beginning of the year is gone Lavrusky said. It is ridiculous.
Both students and teachers alike agree that keeping the art building open often is good for the students. The art building is open for students to use at their convenience. The only downfall to having the building open is that things get stolen, Lavrusky said.
I know it wasn't an art student
and I don't think that it was an OU student
she said. It was probably someone from out of town.
One solution could be to have someone patrol the building, she said.
Officers patrol the buildings on campus throughout their shifts, said Lt. Travis Potts of the Ohio University Police Department. Officers try to get through all the buildings as much as possible.
OUPD also takes requests to patrol extra buildings that have had problems, he said.
School of Art officials are trying to decide on new options to protect the building and students from theft.
I don't know what the school will do
Heindl said. The students need the building open to work.
Students and professors are stressing they do not want to press charges or prosecute but just want their work returned.
The art department will accept the paintings back, no questions asked, Heindl said. The pieces cannot be recreated, so it is important the work is returned.
We don't care who you are. We are not going to say anything
Lavrusky said. We just want our art back.
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Janet Nester
