A series of missing bricks from West Chester sidewalks has sparked suspicions about a local fraternity hazing ritual, writes Bill Rettew for The Daily Local News.
Resident Sean Barry of Southeast West Chester recently noticed several bricks were missing from his sidewalk. The incident came with a “Notice of Violation” from the borough, leading to a hefty fine or personal replacement of the bricks.
A contractor estimated that repairs would cost up to $13,000 to restore Barry’s sidewalk. The resident ultimately spent 11 hours completing the repairs himself with the help of a friend.
But the conflict didn’t end with the repaired sidewalk. Barry later witnessed a young man removing another brick from the sidewalk.
Upon confronting him, the young man said he was part of a West Chester University fraternity, and part of the pledge process included collecting sidewalk bricks to meet a “quota.” He refused to give his name or the fraternity’s name.
Barry reached out to a staff member for fraternity and sorority life at WCU, who suggested he file a police report.
Several other residents have also reported brick thefts, also attributing the trend to the nearby fraternities, as the bricks typically go missing during pledging seasons. Residents also noticed piles of more than two dozen bricks left in a university parking lot near Asplundh Hall.
The university released a statement indicating that WCU staff have addressed the situation with fraternity members through in-person conversations. The statement also encouraged residents with allegations to reach out to the police or the Office of Student Conduct to pursue the matter further.
Read more about the mysterious disappearance of sidewalk bricks throughout West Chester in The Daily Local News.
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