Stolen Credit Cards Tip NCSU Police To Campus Robbery Suspect

RALEIGH, N.C. — Campus police are tracking the spending habits of a thief targeting students at

North Carolina State University

.

Public safety officials at N.C. State said that a male suspect has broken into several student residence halls in the past few weeks. So far, the suspect has taken about $2,400 from 14 students and has run up about $180 in credit card transactions.

Sgt. John Barnwell said the suspect enters dorms by asking students to "hold the door," as if he were a student who forgot his own door pass since a key card is necessary to enter buildings. Police said the suspect then steals wallets from dorm rooms.

"I was asleep in bed. He was in the bathroom and apparently somebody had propped open the door to our suite, and the guy just walked in and went in our room and took our stuff," said student Jeremy Ramsey.

Barnwell said that there have been eight break-ins since February; Turlington, Tucker, Alexander, Bragaw, and Lee dorms have all been hit. The suspect often strikes between 8:30 and 11:00 a.m.

Campus police traced receipts from stolen credit cards to a convenience store where the suspect and his car were caught on camera.

Barnwell describes the suspect as a black male, 130 to 140 lbs., approximately 5'10". He has slight facial hair and drive a white Chevy Cavalier.

Police say the suspect is so bold, he actually told one student he was a police officer serving a warrant.

Police are circulating a composite sketch of the suspect around campus and are urging students to keep their doors locked and their guard up.

Campus police say students make it easy for the thief to strike, by leaving doors propped open or unlocked.

"I hope now that they see this, and we've got a composite out, they'll become more aware of their surroundings, just basic crime prevention," Barnwell said.

Anyone with information is asked to call campus police at

(919) 515-5944

.