Theft top criminal activity at Southeast

Unless they're careful, students at Southeast Missouri State University this semester stand to lose a few items to sticky fingers.

According to Doug Richards, director of Southeast's Department of Public Safety, most campus theft is not committed by students, but rather by outsiders seeking to take advantage of easy loot.

"If students notice someone suspicious entering a residence hall, or a strange car driving slowly through the parking lots, contact the university police," Richards said. "Don't assume everything's OK. Nine times out of 10, it's nothing, but then one time it isn't."

Richards said Southeast has a low level of crime when compared to other universities, but larceny continues to be the top offense. Of the lesser crimes reported at Southeast over the last five years, larceny, or petty theft, was at the top, with 388 reports. The frequency of campus theft dropped steadily over the last decade, as 88 reports were taken by the DPS in 2001 and 147 were taken in 1991.

"Overall, we've seen the crime rates go down," Richards said. "But our crime rates are so low that our numbers do not fluctuate enough to show trends."

Christmas increase

In looking back on his 17 years with the DPS, Richards said the frequency of thefts at Southeast tends to increase around Christmas and at the start and end of semesters. Southeast's Parking Area 9, also known as the Pig Lot, continues to be a hot spot for theft, he said.

Earlier this summer, someone stole freshman Bethany King's car stereo and about 40 CDs after busting out a window in her car near campus. She reported the theft to city police, but never recovered the items. Now, she takes more precautions with where she parks and in locking her car at all times.

"I lock my car doors every time I leave to go inside," she said. "And, I never have anything valuable with me. If they steal my backpack and class books, I guess I'd have to repay for them but at least I don't really like them."

Campus crime is on the minds of students, as evidenced by a survey conducted by members of a Southeast radio programming strategies course. One of the questions revealed that 78 percent of the 60 students surveyed have a medium to great interest in hearing more about campus crime on radio station KXMQ.

Graduate student Kim Fees is a community adviser for Dearmont Hall. He encourages other campus residents to always lock their dorm room doors when they go to class or are simply going down the hall to the bathroom for a quick shower.

Project Identity

Richards said the DPS does on request engrave items such as bicycles and electronics with identification numbers for students, but he believes simply recording the serial numbers is more effective.

"I encourage the people in my hall to sign up for Project Identity," Fees said. "That's where you take your TVs and other electronic items and give the serial numbers to the Department of Public Safety and have them entered into their computer system. And then, if they are stolen and turn up in a pawn shop or wherever, they can be retrieved."

Backpacks carry some of students' most valuable items, including identification cards, cash and credit cards, cell phones, laptop computers and even prescription medications. Students are recommended to not carry such valuables to class unless absolutely necessary and to never leave their bags unattended.

"I always have my backpack on, even if I'm just stepping out of class for a drink of water," said freshman Matt Callow. "I keep it zipped up at all times and always keep my car locked, too."

Although sophomore John French hasn't been a victim of theft, he has seen other students react to the loss of their items and says he just tries to be careful.

"I've seen some girls freak out when they had their backpacks or stuff stolen and start looking around frantically," he said. "It doesn't take any major steps to prevent it. Just keep your stuff by you."

mwells@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160