Members of Lambda Phi Epsilon are taking precautions to protect their belongings after a weekend burglary of their fraternity house cost them $3,000 to $4,000 worth of DVDs, electronics, a new computer and a snowboard.

An unknown number of thieves entered three apartments at the 6514 El Greco Rd. residence through an unlocked front door and two unlocked bedroom windows, according to police reports. A fourth apartment on the second floor – one secured with a deadbolt lock – was not entered.

UCSB students Long Ngo and Urriyah Brady, both 21, told police that when they arrived back at the Lambda house at 8:45 p.m. Sunday night, they noticed their apartment doors open and items missing from their rooms.

“It was Mother’s Day and we had just come home after a long drive and thought we were going to be able to relax,” Brady said. “But we came home and found all our doors open and stuff stolen.”

When police arrived, Ngo noticed his car keys were missing from his room, and that his car had been unlocked and looked through because objects inside had been moved. Police collected fingerprints from several CD cases within the car.

Brady said he guesses the burglaries took place sometime on Sunday because a friend had come to the house late Saturday night to feed the fish and told police she did not see anything out of the ordinary at the time.

“For sure they knew we were gone,” Brady said.

John An, 22, Lambda president, said it is likely the fraternity will purchase deadbolts for all the doors.

“We felt real safe in Santa Barbara, but after this happened, stuff has to change,” An said. “They just took a bunch of electronic stuff, anything they could carry. I hope they catch them.”

John Truong, 21, said he got lucky the thieves did not try to break his bedroom door down.

“We work hard for this shit, man,” Truong said, pointing to some of his electronic devices that were not stolen and a coiled chain on the floor that now connects his computer to his bed frame. “Ain’t no one going to get it now.”

“We’d just like to thank the school, the local police and other organizations for their help and support,” An said. “We hope for the best.”

Some of the property stolen from the house included a $1,000 computer tower, a $250 subwoofer, a $150 Burton snowboard, a $150 CD changer, a $100 Lambda Phi Epsilon banner, two $60 Lambda Phi Epsilon engraved wooden paddles, and a pair of $40 small surround sound speakers.

“They want to make this out like it’s a greek prank or something,” said Khoa Dai, 25, a UCSB and Lambda alumnus, “But it’s a felony.”