Editor’s Note: If you’ve experienced a newspaper theft this year, or if one ever occurs in the future, email Danielle Dieterich at ddieterich@splc.org to report it. At least 8,500 copies of student newspapers at colleges in the United States were reported stolen, trashed or destroyed in 2019. In November alone, thefts were reported at County… Continue reading Newspaper theft in 2019: 8,500+ issues stolen, trashed in 13 incidents
Tag: newspaper theft
Campus police officer in Ohio fired after trashing student newspapers
OHIO — A campus police officer has been fired after being caught on tape trashing issues of The Chimes student newspaper at Capital University, a private university just outside of Columbus. Surveillance footage showed Capital Public Safety Officer Ryan George removing a stack of the Oct. 24 issue of the Chimes from a newsstand outside… Continue reading Campus police officer in Ohio fired after trashing student newspapers
A Radford employee stole student newspapers, but the university won’t say who
UPDATE: An unnamed Radford University employee has been identified by university police as the person who stole campus newspapers from at least four newsstands in September. In a letter to Tartan editor-in-chief Dylan Lepore, Radford University Police Chief David Underwood wrote that a “classified staff employee” was found responsible for stealing papers from four stands.… Continue reading A Radford employee stole student newspapers, but the university won’t say who
FAU student newspapers detailing alleged rape by quarterback found in trash
FLORIDA — Kristen Grau walked by a University Press newspaper stand and knew something wasn’t right. Every copy was gone, even the display piece. In the trash bin only feet from the stand, Grau found the newspapers under only a few pieces of garbage. The cover story of this particular issue includes a detailed account… Continue reading FAU student newspapers detailing alleged rape by quarterback found in trash
Newspapers thrown away at two universities following publication of controversial articles
As the academic year wound down, college news organizations in San Francisco and Buffalo, N.Y. reported their papers were trashed in an effort to conceal controversial stories. An estimated 2,100 copies of the Golden Gate XPress, San Francisco State University’s student newspaper were stolen on May 15. And at the University at Buffalo in New… Continue reading Newspapers thrown away at two universities following publication of controversial articles
Admissions staff conceal copies of student newspapers after front page story about hazmat incident
Admissions staffers weren’t happy with the front page story run by the University of Massachusetts-Boston’s student newspaper, the Mass Media, during a welcome day earlier this month. The newspaper had reported about a hazmat scare in the dorms that led to a resident being taken to the hospital on a stretcher. Admissions staff, concerned about… Continue reading Admissions staff conceal copies of student newspapers after front page story about hazmat incident
In the midst of a student body presidential campaign, police are investigating trashed student newspapers
COLORADO — About 1,000 copies of the Rocky Mountain Collegian went missing April 9, and fingers are being pointed at a team running for student leadership who were the subject of a critical article published the day before the thefts. The Collegian ran a story in its Monday edition that examined campaign spending discrepancies by… Continue reading In the midst of a student body presidential campaign, police are investigating trashed student newspapers
Maryland newspaper theft law
Theft of free-distribution newspapers by those who object to the newspaper's content is a frequent problem for the college student media. Although the SPLC believes that newspaper thieves can be prosecuted in most jurisdictions under existing theft laws, in 1994 Maryland became the first state to pass a law explicitly criminalizing the taking of free newspapers.
Students, upset at front-page story about busted house party, caught on camera throwing out newspapers
RHODE ISLAND — Two Rhode Island college students were caught on camera throwing out copies of a student newspaper. About 100 copies of the Hawks’ Herald newspaper at Roger Williams University were trashed in late February after the paper ran a front-page story about a house party that was busted by local police. Two students… Continue reading Students, upset at front-page story about busted house party, caught on camera throwing out newspapers
Newspapers stolen after story about former Catholic university professor accused of child abuse by diocese
TEXAS - Nearly every copy of The Hilltop Views, the student newspaper of St. Edward’s University in Austin, was stolen last month after the paper ran a front-page story about a former professor accused by the Catholic Church of sexual abuse in the 1980s. The paper lost about 2,000 copies, and believe the front-page story… Continue reading Newspapers stolen after story about former Catholic university professor accused of child abuse by diocese