Houses Begin Locking Doors To Stop Crime

Several undergraduate houses are responding to an increase in crime by locking their main entrances, house officials said yesterday.

Last week Eliot House began locking its main door during the day and will continue to do so indefinitely, Lawrence F. Stevens, executive assistant to the master said yesterday. Crime decreased when the house started locking its main door at night two years ago, he said.

In addition, Eliot will alter all suite door locks so that students cannot leave their doors unlocked.

Beginning this week, Dunster House will also lock its main door at all times.

Winthrop House started locking its doors this year during long weekends and home football games after police apprehended burglars during the first football game, Anthony Arlotto, senior tutor, said yesterday.

Last week the house committee at Quincy House requested Master Charles W. Dunn to lock Quincy's doors and build a partition between the dining hall and the residential section of the house.

Kirkland's House Committee is polling students to xdetermine if they would prefer locking the entries or the main door. After an attempted rape two weeks ago, Kirkland improved the lighting in its main and annex courtyards.

Adams, Mather, and North Houses began locking their doors within the last two years and all report no serious crime problems this year.

Lowell and Currier Houses are not adding any new security measures this year because both have guarded main entrances.

Two years ago Leverett House locked all entries and last year it started an escort system to walk women to their destinations at night.

Last week Martin H. Peretz, master of South House, sent a letter to Stephen S.J. Hall, vice president for administration, recommending that a watchman be on duty from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.