Man charged with stealing animal lab equipment at KU

Malott Hall, 1251 Wescoe Hall Drive, on the KU campus.

A Lawrence man has been charged with burglary and theft after allegedly stealing $13,000 worth of items from a lab at the University of Kansas.

Matthew C. Reynard, 37, was charged Tuesday in Douglas County District Court with one count of burglary and two counts of theft, all felonies.

Reynard is accused of taking a veterinary camera, a camera control unit, syringes and hypodermic needles belonging to KU from Malott Hall on June 24, according to the charges. Charges indicate he is also accused of stealing a checkbook and earbuds from a man listed in the KU directory as a technician in the university’s Animal Care Unit.

KU’s Animal Care Unit is responsible for care of all teaching and research animals on the Lawrence campus, according to the university website.

Reynard was not listed as a KU student or employee, as of this week, according to the KU directory.

It’s not clear how the suspect accessed the lab or how he was caught.

The incident was reported to KU police on June 29. Deputy Chief James Anguiano of the KU Office of Public Safety said, following the report, that an unknown suspect entered a secure area of the building on June 24 and took both equipment and personal property from a lab. According to police, the loss was valued at $13,000.

Reynard’s bond was set at $30,000, according to court records. He remained in jail on Friday, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office inmate list.

Reynard’s next court appearance is scheduled for Monday.