Timely Warnings and Crime Alerts
Timely Warnings or Alerts
Timely Warning issued on May 9, 2026:
On the morning of May 9, 2026, the Department of Public Safety received a report of a possible motor vehicle theft that took place on campus near the Ralph Myhre Golf Course sometime between 9 p.m. Friday, May 8th, and 8 a.m. Saturday, May 9, 2026. The individual who reported this crime indicated that their keys were inside the vehicle at the time of the theft. The Middlebury Police Department is actively investigating this report.
If you have information about this incident or related incidents, please contact the Middlebury Police Department at 802-388-3191 or Middlebury College Public Safety at 802-443-5133 or publicsafety@middlebury.edu.
Safety measures to keep in mind:
- Be alert to your surroundings.
- People who commit crimes are often on the lookout for opportunities such as unlocked windows or doors. Lock your vehicle and take your keys with you.
- Do not leave valuables or packages in your car, especially if they can be seen from outside of the vehicle.
- Report crime and suspicious persons and/or activity on campus as soon as possible to Public Safety at 802-443-5911 or the Middlebury Police by calling 911.
- If you believe that you or someone else is in an unsafe situation, call 911.
- If you experience, witness, or suspect harm from another person, first call 911. If you are able, take note of any aspects of the person’s identity that stand out - such as clothing items, tattoos, mannerisms, or speech patterns.
The Department of Public Safety, or other site-specific designee at a non-campus building, will typically issue timely warnings as soon as pertinent information is available regarding Clery crimes that are reported to Middlebury by CSAs, local law enforcement, or others and that are considered by Middlebury to represent a serious or ongoing threat to students, employees, and/or guests. The content of the message will typically be developed by Public Safety, in collaboration with Communications and/or appropriate members of Senior Leadership, when appropriate and as time allows. Any member of the Middlebury community who knows of a crime or reported crime should report that information as soon as possible to the Middlebury College Department of Public Safety and on-site director or designee at a non-campus location so that, if warranted, a timely warning can be issued. Public Safety or designees will not distribute warnings that could compromise criminal investigations. Note, institutions are not required to provide a timely warning with respect to crimes reported to a pastoral or professional counselor.
Criminal incidents that might prompt a timely warning include the Clery crimes: aggravated assault, arson, burglary, manslaughter by negligence, motor vehicle theft, murder/non-negligent manslaughter, robbery, rape, fondling, incest, statutory rape, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, hazing, and hate crimes, as defined by the Clery Act. Other criminal incidents may prompt a community notice depending on the circumstances. If there is an immediate threat to the health or safety of the campus community, Middlebury will follow its emergency notification procedures. Middlebury is not required to issue a timely warning based on the same circumstances. However, Middlebury must provide adequate follow up information to the community as needed.
Whether to issue a timely warning will be determined on a case-by-case basis in light of all the facts surrounding the reported crime. The determination will be made by the Associate Vice President of Safety or designee. The Associate Vice President of Safety or designee may, at their discretion, consult with others as deemed appropriate (e.g., the Vice President for Student Affairs, Dean of Students, Vice President for Human Resources and Chief People Officer, Chief Risk Officer, the Civil Rights and Title IX Coordinator, Vice President for Communications and Chief Marketing Officer, Executive Vice President and Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty, and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Language Schools).
The following criteria will determine whether timely warnings will be issued:
•The nature of the crime
•The continuing danger to the campus community
•The possible risk of compromising law enforcement efforts
The warning will include information that would promote safety and aid in the prevention of similar crimes. Middlebury will withhold as confidential the names and other identifying information of victims.
The Department of Public Safety will typically issue the warning via email to the entire campus community and post it on the Department of Public Safety’s website. Timely warnings will remain posted on the Public Safety website at the discretion of the Department of Public Safety in collaboration with the Chief Risk Officer and Vice President for Communications and Chief Marketing Officer or designee.
Depending on the circumstances of the crime or threat, the Public Safety department may also post the notices in the residence hall(s) or academic building(s) and/or may issue the timely warning by text message.
Middlebury may also issue warnings to the campus community when other situations pose safety concerns (see the Emergency Response), or otherwise as deemed appropriate.
In its annual letter to local law enforcement agencies, Middlebury requests that local law enforcement inform the institution on an immediate basis of crimes that may require timely warnings