Northwestern Students Stole 4,500 COVID-19 Tests, University Says

EVANSTON, IL — Northwestern University students were behind this week's heist of thousands of COVID-19 test kits from a residence hall at the school's Evanston campus, university officials announced.

About 4,500 tests for the SARS-CoV-2 virus were reported stolen Monday from a secure storage room in a common area of the Foster-Walker Complex, 1927 Orrington Ave., according to a crime notice.

In a follow-up message, university officials announced that members of school's private police force had "identified suspects" in the theft.

"Most of the stolen property was recovered from the suspects, who are Northwestern students," it said.

Patch asked university spokesperson Jon Yates whether the "identified suspects" had been arrested or charged with a crime. The only information he would provide was that "the investigation is ongoing."

Earlier: 4,500 COVID-19 Tests Reported Stolen From Northwestern University

Northwestern's private police force is not bound by the same transparency requirements as municipal police departments, sheriff's offices and other public law enforcement agencies in Illinois, which are required to disclose when they arrest people and other records of their operations.

Evanston Patch reported last year the private school's security agency has not lived up to the terms of its binding mutual cooperation agreement with the city of Evanston. The agreement gives Northwestern's agents full police powers across much of the city and requires the university to submit regular reports, which it failed to do.

Related: Northwestern University Police Fail To Provide Required Reports