Police arrested a Des Moines resident for burglary on Feb. 4 after he was caught stealing a wallet from a Drake professor’s office in Aliber Hall.

Sources tell The Times-Delphic that professor Danette Kenne, assistant dean of the College of Business and Public Administration, returned to her office at 8:15 a.m. and found the suspect, 53-year-old Benjamin Emmett Hale, reportedly walking out with her wallet.

According to the security report, Kenne ran after the man, chasing him out of Aliber where she called over nearby grounds workers and said that the man had stolen her wallet. Workers chased after the suspect as campus security and police were called.

The suspect continued south on Cottage Grove Ave. and threw the wallet on top of a garage, where it fell off and was picked up by the workers.

One of the workers continued to chase the suspect down the street and stopped him near 29th St. and Cottage Grove.

Campus security and police arrived and the suspect was advised on trespass by security officers and arrested for burglary. He is being held on $5,000 bond.

According to the security report, officers advised Hale on trespass in Carpenter Residence Hall in 2004 and he was also arrested for theft in the Harmon Fine Arts Center in 1981.

Since 1991, Hale has nearly 10 arrests for burglary-related crimes. According to the Iowa Courts Online database, there are nearly 40 citations attributed to his name ranging from misdemeanors to felonies.

Drake Security Operations Manager Les Wheeler said that there was a theft reported in Aliber a week ago, but no suspects have been arrested.

Wheeler said he was grateful no one got shot or hurt, and that these burglaries can be prevented if staff take the necessary precautions.

“They’re just a sneak thief,” Wheeler said. “They walk into people’s offices and steal things and they wouldn’t do that if people would keep their doors locked.”