In a strange turn of events, a Burns Security guard was discovered to have stolen an ATM card and pin number from the mail of a Yeshiva student, prompting his immediate dismissal and arrest. Baffled by the crime, students, find themselves questioning the ability of Burns Security to adequately protect them.

The unfortunate incident began when Yeshiva College Junior Josh Younger opened an account with Apple Bank prior to departing for the Succos break. As part of the account arrangement, the bank agreed to mail Younger the ATM card to which he was entitled. Upon his return from break, Younger was astonished to find, not an ATM card in his mailbox, but rather a letter from Apple Bank stating that his account had been activated and that money had been withdrawn.

Younger subsequently contacted the bank and was shocked to hear that five hundred dollars had been withdrawn from the account just days earlier. In the days that followed, he spent much time and energy tediously filing reports with the police, the post office, the bank, and Yeshiva security.

Months of haggling ensued between Younger and Apple Bank until, finally, in early December, the bank agreed to redeposit the funds that had mysteriously disappeared, on the condition that if Younger himself were to be found liable, the money deposited would be treated as a loan. "It was frustrating not having access to that significant amount of money for such a long period of time," said Younger. But he was happy to finally have regained that access, he said.

However, the day after the two parties reached an agreement, Apple Bank contacted Younger, requesting his presence at the Washington Heights branch. At this meeting with bank officials, Younger was asked to provide assistance in identifying an individual, caught on a videotape withdrawing funds from an ATM machine. Footage was played of a Yeshiva University Burns Security Guard in full uniform withdrawing money from the Apple Bank ATM, using the ATM card in question.

Younger was quite taken aback by this information. "I felt violated," he declared, "the same people I pay to protect me had harmed me and caused me to need protection from them. How can I ever feel comfortable approaching Burns with an incident report when it may be they who need reporting on?"

Returning to Yeshiva, Younger had little difficulty positively identifying the security guard he had seen on the videotape. The guard was immediately relieved of his duties, and Yeshiva security and the New York City Police Department arranged to have the guard peaceably arrested. The guard was later charged with a misdemeanor.

A fellow security guard described the offender, who was a captain during the day shift, as "so cool. He was a good guy until it happened," he said. "Everyone was surprised."

Students across the campus were troubled by the incident. "Are they not supposed to protect us?" asked Yeshiva Sophomore Ezra Schneck. "We are in a time when security is important; it makes me scared to think that even when there is a guard around it doesn't mean I'm secure". Younger himself averred, "This was someone we trusted; you don't know what other damage he might've caused."

University Chief of Security Don Summers provided no comment on the matter beyond a terse "It is a criminal matter."

University Dean of Students David Himber, as well, was unable to discuss details of the matter, but wanted to assure students that, "Security does its best to be protective of YU students and for the most part it succeeds." As to whether or not an incident like this might recur, he noted, "Anytime Security discovers a problem they attempt to remedy it." However, the specific point of incursion and the details of the remedy remain a question.