SMU Police arrested two men on suspicion of burglary Wednesday after the men entered a sorority house in the early morning and left their numbers on a marker board, inviting women to call them.
A resident of the Panhellenic II house spotted Philip Chaney, 29, of Irving and Francis Sleavin, 33, of Plano in the hallway shortly after 3 a.m.
Chaney and Sleavin entered the house through the unlocked front door and proceeded upstairs to the second floor.When questioned, the men told her they were looking for someone they met earlier at a bar but gave the name of an unidentifiable woman, according to police.
The witness immediately told her house mom, but the burglars were gone by the time the women searched the rooms. Initially, SMU and University Park police departments also failed to find the men.
Using the contact number left on the message board by the men, the SMU police created a decoy to catch them. A female officer called one of the men on her cell phone and told them she wanted to meet them. The men agreed to meet her at the house. Police surrounded the house and minutes later the two men were arrested.
SMU Police Chief Michael Snellgrove emphasized that doors should be kept locked, especially in fraternity and sorority houses. “Don’t circumvent your security,” he said.
With the witness’s report and clear evidence left by the men, Snellgrove said there was enough evidence to arrest them. “I’d rather see them in jail for now,” he said. “We feel safe if our residents are safe.”
The case is still open and police are continuing to investigate why the men entered the house. Campus alerts are posted around campus.