Written by Spencer Blohm
Theft is the number one crime reported on most college campuses in America, including University of Central Florida.
In 2012 alone, the UCF Police Department reported $262,992 in stolen property, of which only $99,786 was recovered – and that’s just the thefts that were reported and does not include off-campus housing. While that number is down from 2011, that’s still a large number of occurrences for a crime that can be largely prevented.
It won’t come as a shock to anyone that the most common thefts are of electronic devices. Phones, MP3 players, tablets, laptops, gaming consoles and televisions are among the most highly targeted items for any thief. Why? Because they are both expensive and small, allowing a thief to swipe, say, your $500 phone and hide it in his pocket without anyone being the wiser.
The current culture encourages high-priced electronics as a necessity and these items have become ever more important to busy college students who need all the help they can find getting through the day. Thieves know that almost every college student has at the very least a laptop. They also know that college campuses are filled with hundreds if not thousands of bikes. Think about how easy it is to steal a bike that isn’t properly secured – a thief could simply walk up to a bike rack, look for a bike that isn’t locked up properly, hop on it and ride away.
So what are you supposed to do? Live in constant fear and paranoia? Booby trap your dorm room?
While that may seem like a rather effective and mildly enjoyable way to protect your belongings, there are much simpler steps. If you live in off-campus housing, you and your roommates might want to discuss going in on a home security system. Most college students don’t live in the nicest or most up to date buildings, so gaining access is pretty easy, but an alarm system in your house or apartment, along with signs or stickers advertising its presence, can reduce the likelihood of a potential burglar getting away with any of your belongings. Splitting the cost of a security system among the roommates could bring the monthly cost down to around $10-$20 a month – much cheaper than having to buy a new television, XBox, or iPad.
Being aware and conscious outside of your living space also plays a big part in theft prevention. Don’t leave your belongings unattended – ever. Let’s say you’re at the dining hall and you put your food and bag down and see a friend across the hall, you go over to say “Hi,” and while you look away someone snatched your bag. If you’re an Apple devotee (as many college kids are), then your bag probably contains your iPhone and laptop, along with your wallet – instantly depriving you of the most important things you need.
Your iPhone may have cost you $300, and your laptop $1100, not to mention the cash and cards in your wallet – so you could easily find yourself in a position where a thief just took off with over $1,400 worth of stuff all because you left your bag alone for a minute. The same goes for leaving things in your car – you may think it’s fine you leave your iPod or other valuables in your car overnight, but all a thief has to do is kick in the window and grab them and they’re gone.
Bike thefts can be all too easy on campuses as well, even for those who properly lock up their bikes. Cheap bike chains can be easily cut by someone who comes prepared. Luckily, there are many different types of uncuttable bike locks on the market that can help you protect yourself.
Those living on campus are put in many situations where theft can occur. While you may not be able to set up an alarm system for your dorm room, you can get a lock box to keep your valuable items in when you’re not in your room, along with, of course, making sure your room is always locked when you’re not in it.
So what if you do all this, and your property still gets stolen? Well, all UCF students have the opportunity to register their valuable items with the UCF PD, who will store the serial number information for 4 years after registration. This comes in handy if they happen to recover stolen items but are unable to prove that they are actually stolen, and might be your only chance to recover your valuables.
Another way to recover your losses, or at least the cost of replacing them, is to get insurance. Most students should be able to have their property covered by their parents’ homeowners insurance for little or no extra cost. Those living off campus should strongly consider getting renters insurance, which can cover much more than theft depending on the policy.
Remember, there are always ways to protect yourself and prevent theft from happening to you. The most important piece of advice to prevent theft is; above all else, use common sense. Don’t leave your doors unlocked, don’t leave your things unattended, and don’t think that it won’t happen to you. I guarantee every one of the 368 UCF students who reported theft of some sort on campus in 2012 didn’t think it would happen to them either.
