CAMPUS WATCH: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by the University Police Department patrol officers between Monday, 08-21-06 and Tuesday, 8-22-06. EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE BUILDING, 100 East 24th Street Theft: A UT staff member reported the theft of her building keys from her unsecured desk drawer, located inside her unsecured office. Loss value: $5.00. Occurred on: 8-21-06, between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM. Crime Prevention Tip: I am guessing many of you are asking; why would someone take a set of keys? Many departmental secretaries are issued master keys to the buildings. Thieves know this. On average, these keys are stored either in plain view or in an unsecured desk drawer. Once again, thieves know this as well and are counting on this fact. It is very easy for an individual to enter an unsecured office and take a set of office keys. Key control is paramount in building security. Spare office keys, and issued departmental keys, when not in use, need to be secured in a locked desk or file cabinet. UNION BUILDING, #4 West Mall Graffiti (Criminal Episode): Words and slogans were discovered written in green, black and blue ink inside several men's restrooms. Loss value: $200.00. Discovered on: 8-21-06. UNION BUILDING, #4 West Mall Criminal Trespass: A UT staff member discovered two non-UT subjects sleeping inside a 4th floor study lounge. The staff member recognized the subjects from a prior incident inside a second floor women's restroom. During the investigation the subjects informed the officer that they had not seen the posted signs restricting access to students and staff, and they wanted to obtain a high school diploma. Both subjects were issued a written criminal trespass warning and escorted from the area. Occurred on: 8-21-06, at 3:14 PM. Crime Prevention Tip of the Day: The countdown continues. Three days until Moove-In and the beginning of the Fall 2006 semester. Time is growing shorter and the last minute "to do" list is now even longer. Today's "to do" list Identity Theft is a big problem; do everything you can to restrict all of your son's or daughter's personal information when applying for credit or filling any other financial paperwork. There are many different scams in which thieves attempt to obtain personal information in this manner. Limit the number of credit cards carried, one gas card and one credit card. Write either C. I. D. or simply request ID on the backs of all credit cards. Have your student secure their Social Security Card inside their dormitory room or apartment. Encourage them to never carry this card unless applying for a job. "To do" list 8-21-06 Go online and sign up for the FREE women's self defense class. This is a free 16-hour class offered through the UT police department. www.utexas.edu/police/rad/register.php The university offers additional martial arts classes through Rec Sports. For additional information go to: www.utrecsports.org/activities/activities/martialarts.php "To do" list 8-18-06 Preprogram the main telephone number for the UT police department into your son's or daughter's cellular telephone. (512) 471-4441: consider putting this number on speed dial. Incorporate the acronym I. C. E. (in case of emergency) on your son's or daughter's cellular telephone. This will be the telephone number called by EMS, Fire Department, or the police if there is an emergency. "To do" list 8-17-06 Mark all of your property with your State issued driver's license number. Remember that the City of Austin is rated 8th in the world for reported bicycle thefts. Look into a two-lock locking system when securing your bicycle on campus. Take a few minutes and go online and register your bicycle with UT Parking and Transportation: www.utexas.edu/parking/transportation/biking/bicycle_register.php CAMPUS WIDE: Non-Criminal Calls: In addition to the above criminal cases, The University of Texas Police Department responded to 25 alarm calls, 1 medical emergency call, 2 suspicious activity reports, 2 fire alarm calls, and 5 unsecured door reports between 08-21-06 and 08-22-06. Contact UT Police at 471-4441 if you have any information regarding any of the above incidents or call 911 regarding suspicious persons, suspicious activities or crime. Your call may help solve or prevent a crime. Campus Watch comments should be directed to Officer Darrell Halstead at 512-232-9634 or Darrell.halstead@austin.utexas.edu . Prepared by DWH
