On April 16, 15-20 bundles of TheSouthern Digest were found in the dumpster behind the Baptist StudentUnion. The newspaper has acirculation of 8,000.
”I was outside talking to the yard person. The dumpster was open and I was aboutto close it and then I saw all the papers,” said Beverly Pitcher, the directorof the Baptist Student Union. “I noticed it was like a thousand or so more. Isaw it was April 16 papers and I had a student worker call the Digest.”
Members of the Southern Digest staffare not only surprised but also disappointed by the senseless act.
”It’s one of those things that happens on college campusesacross America,” said Derick S. Hackett, the director of student media. ” Itusually happens during elections or when the paper is critical on certainorganizations. It is an illegal act. It is considered theft of universityproperty. Along with the help of S.U.P.D if this is found to be true were goingto prosecute them to the fullest extent.”
According to the Maryland NewspaperAnti-Theft Law, a person commits the offense of theft when that personwillfully or knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over newspaperswith the intent to prevent other individuals from reading the newspapers. Aperson who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on convictionis subject to a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment for not more than 60days or both. Though this event is a surprising one, it has happenedbefore. On April 19, 1991, 6,000copies of the Southern Digest were stolen during SGA elections.
