Alleged Harvard Burglar Captured At UCLA, Returned to Cambridge

A alleged campus thief and convicted trespasser was back in Cambridge District Court this week, after attempting to elude Harvard University Police by fleeing cross-country.

Andre Stuckey was led off a plane in handcuffs early Wednesday morning by University and state authorities. He had been captured on another college campus thousands of miles away, the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).

Stuckey was originally arrested on Oct. 22 in connection with multiple burglaries and larcenies in Matthews Hall, according to Peggy McNamara, Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) spokesperson. Stuckey was charged with five counts of receiving stolen property, one count of receiving a stolen credit card, and one count of trespassing. After pleading guilty to those charges on Dec. 1, Stuckey was sentenced to two years behind bars. He was immediately released, however, having served just 38 days awaiting trial.

Just one day later H.U.P.D. received a report of suspicious activity at Matthews Hall. That investigation resulted in the issuance of another arrest warrant for Stuckey, this time for unarmed burglary and trespassing. Stuckey fled to California before he could be arrested, however. In late December, Stuckey was arrested at UCLA and transferred to the Los Angeles County Jail.

Working with Middlesex County District Attorney’s office, the HUPD asked California authorities to send Stuckey back to Massachusetts to face the outstanding burglary and trespassing charges. Stuckey arrived in Cambridge Wednesday morning in the custody of Detective Paul Westlund, HUPD, and Sgt. James Connolly of the Massachusetts State Police.

Stuckey was processed at HUPD and arraigned in Cambridge District Court Wednesday. He is now being held by Cambridge police.