OREGON — Staffers for Oregon State University’s studentnewspaper, the Daily Barometer, found all six of the paper’s outdoordistribution racks empty Friday morning.
Editor in Chief Lauren Dillard said she suspects the theft was related to afront-page article in Friday’s edition that named six students who had beenarrested in connection with a drug-trafficking ring.
Staffers first noticed the empty bins at about 10 a.m. Friday, Dillardsaid. It is rare for the kiosks to be completely empty during the day, leadingDillard to suspect the papers had been stolen. Indoor distribution points, suchas racks in dorms and class buildings, were not affected, she said.
Dillard filed a report with the Oregon State Police — which is incharge of law enforcement on campus — at about noon Friday. She said amajority — perhaps as much as 80 percent — of the paper’s9,000-copy print run was taken. She estimated the theft cost the paper about$1,100, the amount it costs to print each day’s edition. Although not all ofFriday’s copies were taken, the theft might affect advertisers as well, shesaid.
The paper did not reprint the drug bust article, but the story hasattracted great interest online. Dillard said the story got about 1,200 reads onthe Barometer Web site, which is three to six times as many views as atypical story receives.