By TAYLOR ANDERSON
Reporter

(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) — A UCM fraternity’s off-campus house was broken into and vandalized last month.

The Warrensburg Police Department responded to a reported burglary at approximately 6:22 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016, at the Sigma Tau Gamma house located at 708 S. Holden St. When officers arrived they discovered an intoxicated, 30-year-old male inside the complex, according to a WPD incident report. The man was arrested on charges of first-degree property damage, second-degree burglary and first-degree tampering. Although the man was arrested, the Muleskinner is not reporting his name until charges have been filed.

While on the scene, Warrensburg police notified UCM Public Safety of a possible stolen vehicle belonging to the university, according to a Public Safety incident report. Officers found that the vehicle, a white Ford van, belonged to Sodexo. The van had been reported stolen from UCM Lot 12 sometime between Dec. 29 and Dec. 31, according to the Public Safety incident report.

The damage occurred throughout the house and included the residents’ personal property, according to a Sig Tau news release. The fraternity estimates the cost of the damages to be more than $50,000, according to the news release.

The incident resulted in broken windows, destroyed TV sets, and framed alumni pictures pulled off the walls and smashed, according to the WPD incident report. There was also structural damage reported.

“I saw (the damage) later that night when pictures were sent to me,” said Matthew Joris, Sigma Tau Gamma president. “But as far as we know, nothing was stolen.”

WPN Housing Company, an affiliate with Sigma Tau Gamma, worked with insurance companies, the restoration company ServiceMaster and local business to make repairs over winter break so the house was ready for students Jan. 8.

Steven Latour, chief executive officer for the fraternity, said repairs in the house will continue throughout the semester with extensive repairs planned for spring break and this summer.

“We have taken the necessary precautions to ensure that basic health and safety standards are being met for the undergraduates to move back into the facility,” Latour said in the news release.

Joris said although the break-in caused problems for the fraternity, the incident hasn’t disrupted life in the house.

“The only thing it really affected or was going to affect was house tours,” Joris said. “Unfortunately, house tours for Greek life were canceled completely. Other than that, it hasn’t affected anything.”