Stolen $25,000 sign spotted on UC Berkeley fraternity’s roof

A $25,000 UC Berkeley campus sign that was stolen nearly three years ago was just found on top of a fraternity house, authorities said.

Though the sign was taken from a Unit 1 residence hall “sometime between November and December 2020,” a university housing staff member reported the theft Sept. 8, Sgt. Jacob Westlie, a spokesperson for the University of California Police Department, told SFGATE. 

Before it was stolen, the sign was in front of Christian Hall and identified the building, Westlie said.

Westlie said campus police were informed of the sign’s location by a university housing staff member. The staff member, who looked out from the sixth floor of the Unit 1 residence hall, told police they saw the sign on the roof of the Sigma Chi house.

The sign was then located and seized by university police Sept. 12 at the Sigma Chi chapter house, at 2345 College Ave., Westlie said. It’s unclear if this was the first time the sign has been reported stolen or if this is the first time someone noticed it was missing. It’s also unknown where the sign was prior to allegedly being found at the fraternity house.

UCPD is taking the lead on the investigation, which it is classifying as felony grand theft because of the sign’s value. Westlie said university housing staff told UCPD that the sign is worth $25,125 and cost $3,150 to install.

Westlie said residents in the Sigma Chi house cooperated with UCPD when officers arrived at the house to take the sign.

Officials for Sigma Chi’s national headquarters are aware the sign was allegedly found at the UC Berkeley house, Michael Church, executive director of the Sigma Chi International Fraternity, told SFGATE. He said the international fraternity is conducting its own investigation.

“We are disappointed to learn of the incident but will note that the chapter’s current leadership has been cooperative with all parties and is committed to remain as such,” Church said in a statement. “Any individual members found responsible will be held appropriately accountable according to our policies and procedures.”

There haven’t been any arrests related to theft, Westlie said.