West Virginia University police investigate campus burglaries and arsons

West Virginia University police are investigating multiple burglaries and arsons reported this week inside the school’s Life Sciences Building, including one faculty office targeted twice in two days.

The university issued an alert Friday following the incidents on its Downtown campus.

In the first burglary, reported Wednesday morning, testing material was reported missing from a faculty office located in the east hallway of the building’s fourth floor. Officers observed evidence of forced entry, including burn marks on the office door lock, according to university officials.

“I can’t share specifics on the materials due to the ongoing investigation — but I can tell you they weren’t chemicals and there was no risk involved,” said WVU spokeswoman April Kaul.

On Friday, university police received a second report of a burglary on the building’s fourth floor. Upon arriving, they found the same office had been forcefully entered overnight and new tool and burn markings on the office door lock were observed.

Nothing appeared to be missing.

Following that second report, officers found five additional office doors on the floor that sustained similar damage, indicating attempted entry.

Built in 2002, the Life Sciences Building stands on Campus Drive where Old Mountaineer Field stood until 1987. WVU enrolls about 27,000 students, most of them in Morgantown.

Officers are reviewing information to locate the suspect or suspects, university officials said.

Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to call 203-293-COPS (2677) or visit the university police department at 992 Elmer Prince Drive. Information may be shared anonymously.