Cover Sheet

Reese Miller
Crime Story
Burglaries increasing on campus-especially in dorms
October 6, 2014
Budget line:
The University of Texas at Austin is highly regarded as a research facility and an
educational institution. However, there have been a rise in the number of burglaries on campus in
the last several months. The solution is for the students to take action before the crime happens,
not after theyve lost a precious belonging
Sources:
William R. Pieper-Officer at the UT Police Department
o Phone number: 512-471-4441
o Date(s) contacted: in person 10/3/14
o Met with him and discussed crimes on campus, specifically in dorms.
Joel Ponce-Former Jester West resident
o Phone number: 956-832-7775
o Date(s) contacted: In person 10/6/14
o Discussed his thoughts on the safety of the dorms and campus and the measures
that can be taken against theft.
Luke Edgemon-Resident Assistant for Jester East
o Phone: 903-279-8331
o Date(s) contacted: in person, 10/6/14
o Talked about the training that resident assistants go through and whether or not he
feels properly equipped to handle a crime situation.
Invisible sources/web sites used:
Rhonda Weldon-assisted with records requests through the UT Police Department.

Burglaries increasing on campus-especially in dorms

October 6, 2014
By: Reese Miller
The University of Texas at Austin campus is considered a safe, crime-free environment by many
of its students-but thats the problem. Because students feel so comfortable in this scholastic
environment, they become negligent and nave to the possibilities of losing their belongings.
Preventative measures are often taken by buildings, dorms and the police department. However,
its the students responsibility to prevent themselves from falling victim to crimes.

In January, February, March and April of 2014, there was a combined four thefts on campus.
That number rose to three in the month of May, seven in June, three in July and a recorded five
in August. One of the most targeted areas where this rise in theft has occurred is residence halls.

Students who live in dorms feel very safe there, UT Police Officer William Pieper said. So
theyre very likely to let people into their space and leave their stuff out for grabs.

If students experience theft, they should immediately contact the police. The quicker someone
acts, the better chance officials have of recovering the lost item. For example, if the crime is an
identity theft and a credit card is stolen, the victim is to contact his or her credit card company
and promptly hold the account or cancel the stolen card. In some stores, the card will be
identified as stolen and can be recovered.

Sometimes students, along with their politeness, are their own worst enemies. College is a new
environment for students. Naturally, students want to be friendly, forthcoming and trusting in
others. But, in on-campus dorms, this can get them in trouble. Students are only allowed access
inside dorms through their ID that is programmed with the door. One of the contributing factors
that lead to crimes in dorms is students allowing people through the doors without making them
swipe their own card.

Students always hold the door, often for students that dont live there, Pieper said. You have
to be rude. You cant let people into the dorms without their card.

Major target areas for thieves have become dorm laundry rooms located at the corner of
hallways. Student often turn on the washer or dryer and frequently leave their belongings
unattended for hours at a time. In other instances, students simply neglect to keep their door
locked, allowing others to come and go as they please, scoping for a hot, new item that can be
quickly stolen and turned around for a profit.

I feel pretty safe and there are enough measures taken to not get your stuff stolen, said Joel
Ponce, who lived in Jester East for two years. Its pretty much whether youre being smart
about it or not. Just keep everything locked, and youre golden.

Dorms are often restricted by where they can put cameras because of the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act. So many burglars proceed after their crime without any repercussions.
Thieves can work fast. Generally, they act on opportunity. When something is available to them,

they take it. Police officers have shifts and areas they patrol around campus. But oftentimes, the
only person who is consistently close to the situation is the resident assistant on the dorm floor.
Resident assistants job is to monitor the dorms and notify their supervisor if a crime occurs on
their floor.

I feel really prepared [to handle a theft situation]. We go through week-long spring and fall
training sessions that last 12 hours a day, said Luke Edgemon, a resident assistant at Jester East.
We train with the cops, and were always on the lookout for suspicious activity.

Electronic items, such as computers and cell phones, are the most popular stolen goods because
of their market and street value. Officials advise that all tracking devices should be turned on
such items before they are stolen. This way, the police can track down the missing item using the
locator. There also are clinics held by the UT Police Department in dorms where students can
have their devices engraved with their information to make it easier to recover if it were stolen.

No matter what dorms and police officials do before or after a crime occurs in on-campus dorms,
the only one who truly can prevent it is the student. Whether its locking doors, being aware of
who enters and exits their room, locking things inside their room, monitoring their clothes in the
laundry room, or simply refusing strangers entrance without a key into a dorm. If students are
aware of their surroundings and their belongings, these burglaries may decrease significantly and
perhaps even cease to be a threat on campus.