Burglar Breaks Into Jewish Student Center At USC

Jewish students and alumni asked for the public’s help Friday to identify a man who was caught on video breaking into the Rohr Chabad Jewish Student Center of USC and stealing several valuables, including religious items.

The burglar on Tuesday night broke into the center located just steps off the “Row” at 2713 Severance St. and got away with thousands of dollars in computers, video projectors and three pairs of tefillin – phylacteries used by Jewish men for prayer, which contain handwritten scripture from the Torah.

The burglary took over two hours, with the suspect first arriving just after midnight and returning again at 5 a.m. to load the items into his car.

The center, which also serves as a residence to USC students, was empty at the time.

Security video showed the burglar loading the items into a white Dodge Caliber.

Alumni have rallied around the center, prompting many to donate more than $3,000 in the 24 hours after the break-in to help replace some of the stolen items. A GoFundMe page was set up to help raise money.

“It was a tough day, dealing with the feeling of violation, police reports, and beginning to contemplate the headaches that theft of our computer is going to cause. But it was also a special day, because of how many of you reached out with support and love,” Rabbi Dov Wagner wrote on his Facebook page.

Anyone with information about the break-in or the burglar’s identity can contact Los Angeles police Detective Potter at (213) 485-2582.