MAMMOTH TEETH, METEORITES STOLEN FROM USU GEOLOGY BUILDING

ksl.com

Police are trying to track down a man suspected of stealing an estimated $3,000 worth of minerals, meteorites and mammoth teeth from the geology department at Utah State University.

Department head David Liddell said the thief smashed through a basement window of the Geology Building last Saturday night and stole items from several glass cases — leaving behind some blood. Among the items lost — 10 fossils, 25 minerals and an iMac computer and printer.

“These are rocks and minerals which are pretty heavy,” said Liddell. “They would be hard to carry off. But we did lose somewhere between $1,500 and $3,000 worth of specimens.”

Police were able to get a description of the suspect. According to Liddell, a doctorate student saw a thin man about 6 feet 3 inches tall with dark eyes enter the building Saturday night. Police say he was wearing a green and white beanie and had cuts on his face — possibly from breaking through glass.

Liddell says the person responsible likely doesn’t have much expertise in the field of geology. Most of the items stolen were common minerals that could be found along the side of the road, while several valuable items — such as a large mammoth tusk believed to be from the Ice Age — were left behind.

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