The Case of the Runaway Hamster
The young students in Keirah Tompkins preschool class at the Kean Child Care and Development Center recently got a lesson in community policing, courtesy of a runaway hamster named Teddy.
The hamster was introduced to the class on Wednesday, November 7. The next morning, Teddy’s cage was empty, and the students were in tears.
“I didn’t have the heart to tell them he was gone, so I said he was just taking a break from his cage,” said Tompkins.
Fearing that Teddy was stolen, the police were called.
Sgt. Mark Anacker was put on the case. A motion-detection camera was installed to alert Anacker to Teddy’s movements. The detective put Teddy’s cage, with some food in it, on the floor to lure him home. It took until the early hours of Friday morning, but the strategy worked.
“It was like CSI here, with cameras and everything,” said Georgina Criado-Hall, the acting director of the Child Care and Development Center. “Mark was wonderful. He is the star of it all.”
Anacker says whether it’s a theft on campus or a missing hamster, the police are ready to help.
“I went the extra mile because it was the right thing to do. As a police officer, it doesn't matter if the people in need are adults or children — they all deserve the same treatment. These little children came to us for help, and it's my duty as a police officer to help,” he said.
Mark Farsi, the director of public safety, sees it all as part of the job for Kean’s police officers.
“Kean is a community, and working with the children at the child care center is a good demonstration of community policing,” he said. “We want everyone at Kean to have positive interactions with the police force.”
The young students now recognize Anacker as the man who rescued Teddy. They are learning how to care for their classroom pet, and Teddy now has an exercise ball that he uses to safely explore the classroom.
