SMU Police arrested McKinney resident Andrew Vermont Hicken inside of Shuttles Hall Thursday morning on felony theft charges.
According to police reports, Hicken, 22, was wanted on an outstanding warrant issued from Franklin County, Texas. He was arrested without incident at 10:30 a.m. and was transported to the University Park jail. Bond was set at $5,000.
Officers are now investigating possible links Hicken may have had to other crimes committed on campus and inside the residence halls including an arson attempt that caused over $500 in damage to the hall.
Although Hicken is not an SMU student, police say that he was living with students inside Shuttles. He gained access to the building through several student residents.
After being arrested, officers issued Hicken a criminal trespass warning for all residence halls and advised him that he was not allowed to enter the halls.
“We don’t know the details of how he came about being invited into the hall, but students have told us he has been there for some time; possibly as long as several months,” said Capt. Mike Snellgrove of the SMU Police Department.
Shuttles Hall Director Matthew Nelson was unavailable for comment.
Allowing unaffiliated people to live in the residence halls is a violation of university policy. According to Resident Life and Student Housing’s “Community Standards and Student Conduct in Residence Halls,” visitors are permitted to enter the residence halls as long as a resident escorts them at all times.
However, the community standards limit stays for overnight visitors to the halls to three days per week without prior approval from the hall director.
“We are looking at university housing violations against some students,” Snellgrove said.
All residents agree to abide by the community standards when they move into the residence hall.
Several calls to Hicken’s home for comment were not returned.
“This kind of person presents a clear and present danger to all of the other residents. He is a thief and a violent offender,” Snellgrove said. “Students should report anyone believed to be staying in the residence hall without authorization to the police.”
