Back during my own Cornell days, I can remember an incident where over Spring Break my freshman year, my fraternity (I was pledging at the time) had one of its code-key locks substantially damaged, which given that it looked like it was attacked with a blunt object, we assumed was an attempted burglary. It is no big surprise that wealthy Cornell students have a habit of leaving expensive things in their rooms, and that with a cunning and conniving mind, those things can easily end up in the hands of a thief. Luckily in our case, the thief gave up and went elsewhere (although we had a $300 grill stolen right off the property not long after I graduated).
That is why stories like this don’t surprise me. From the Ithaca Independent:
Two suspects have been arrested in the Sunday burglary of 55 Ridgewood Road, home of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity house. Ithaca police were called to the address after a resident returning home caught a burglary in progress.
Using a description of the two suspected burglars and the vehicle they used to leave the scene with a list of stolen items, a 28-year-old Lansing woman and a 35-year-old Elmira man were arrested Monday…(cont.)
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The cops only found the burglars because the two were reported to the police for a domestic incident, and left in their truck. They essentially gave themselves away, since they and the vehicle matched the description provided by the witness.
In sum, although Ithaca is generally safe city, Greek houses would do well to limit access over breaks, and for its members to discreetly make use of a strongbox for valuables.
Ithacating in Cornell Heights 
Then there’s the tale in the last 20 years or so of a certain frat that left the windows wide open after a huge party at the end of Fall term. Everyone left town, the temperature dropped, and when the pipes burst the stalagtites on the outside alerted the locals that something was amiss after a week or so. I think this was a house formerly owned by Ezra himself. The interior woodwork (ceilings, walls, floors) was destroyed and had to be rebuilt. Lock up your damn house, indeed! Thanks for the great blog, man, keep up the good work!