Burglars Strike Weld Home Before The Game

When Yale visited Cambridge for The Game this weekend, thieves visited the home of former Governor William F. Weld '66, stealing six backpacks and four duffel bags from Yale undergraduates who were guests at the Weld home.

The students were staying with Weld's daughter, Mary B. Weld, a Yale sophomore. Among the stolen items was a laptop computer which Weld's wife, Susan Roosevelt Weld '70, estimated to be worth $3,000.

The students' notes and textbooks were also stolen.

"It's unlucky [for the Yale students] because they have their exams before Christmas. There were many tears," said Susan Weld, who is a research fellow at Harvard Law School.

Clothing and one student's journal are also missing.

The Cambridge Police Department is currently investigating the incident, according to spokesperson Frank Pasquarello. He said they do not know if the theft is related to The Game.

According to the Cambridge police log, the Welds said the items were removed from the kitchen between 11:30 p.m. Friday and 1:45 a.m. Saturday. Susan Weld said she and her husband were upstairs sleeping, as were some of their guests.

Mary Weld and her friends went to dinner in Harvard Square shortly after their arrival and were not in the house at the time of the theft. The Welds' son, David M. Weld '98, and his Harvard guests were out as well.

"Every bed and sofa was taken. There were close to 20 kids in the house [this weekend]," Susan Weld said.

The backpacks and duffel bags were removed from the kitchen and there was no sign of forced entry, according to Weld. She said that her purse was hanging in the kitchen and there were several bags in the hall. Only one pile from the kitchen was missing.

"It was very odd. Nothing was taken except the bags," Weld said. None of the bags was conspicuously marked withYale identification.

"It may have been a prank. That's what wethought at first...[Now] we don't think it was aprank. We would have gotten [the bags] back," Weldsaid.

Weld said she thought the thief or thieveswould have needed a car.

"On weekends like these, with lots ofconfusion, it's easier to pull off atheft...People can read the paper and seize theirchance," Weld said.

"The hard thing is that [the Yale students']books and notes are gone," she said.

The Welds put up posters around theirneighborhood with instructions for anyone withknowledge of the missing items. Anyone withinformation is asked to call 547-7004

"It may have been a prank. That's what wethought at first...[Now] we don't think it was aprank. We would have gotten [the bags] back," Weldsaid.

Weld said she thought the thief or thieveswould have needed a car.

"On weekends like these, with lots ofconfusion, it's easier to pull off atheft...People can read the paper and seize theirchance," Weld said.

"The hard thing is that [the Yale students']books and notes are gone," she said.

The Welds put up posters around theirneighborhood with instructions for anyone withknowledge of the missing items. Anyone withinformation is asked to call 547-7004