CAMPUS WATCH: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by the University Police Department patrol officers between Tuesday, 08/05/08 and Wednesday, 08/06/08. If you have any information pertaining to these incidents or any other criminal / suspicious activity, contact the UT Police Department at 512-471-4441. 201 East 24th Street Burglary of Motor Vehicle: A black leather brief case containing an unknown brand calculator, a science textbook and a scientific professional paper was stolen when it was left on the front seat of a parked and unsecured Honda Civic. Loss value: $200.00. Occurred on 08/05/08 between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Crime Prevention Tip: In this case, the owner believed he would only be away form his vehicle for a short amount of time which led him to leave his property in his car and leave the car unlocked. For many people, 30 minutes is a short amount of time. For an opportunistic thief, 30 minutes is well more than a full work day. A thief only needs a few seconds to commit a theft. Do not give a thief such an easy work day. Make ‘em work just as hard as the rest of us. Never leave your property inside your vehicle and always roll your windows up and lock your doors. 23rd Street and San Jacinto Driving While Intoxicated / Open Container in a Vehicle: A UT police officer observed a grey Jeep Grande Cherokee traveling at a high rate of speed from the intersection. The police officer determined the non-UT driver was driving at least twice the posted speed limit for the roadway. After the vehicle disregarded a standing red light, the officer initiated a traffic stop. The driver pulled into a nearby parking garage entrance before turning sharply and coming to a stop on the pedestrian sidewalk. The driver was found to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage to the point he was driving while intoxicated. In addition to the classic signs of alcohol intoxication, the driver stated he had also taken a medication for his allergies. An open bottle of whiskey was found inside the Jeep. Occurred on 08/06/08 at 2:36 a.m. Crime Prevention Tip: Aside form the obvious “Don't Drink and Drive†allow me to point out a warning found on just about all allergy medications…â€Do not operate heavy machinery.†People, cars are heavy machinery. Did you know you could be arrested for DWI if you are driving a car while under the influence of medications? Any impairment caused by alcohol, illicit drugs, over-the-counter drugs or prescription drugs could result in your arrest. Also keep in mind drugs can compound the effects of alcohol. That is why another common warning found on pill bottles is “Do not consume alcoholic beverages in conjunction with this medication.†It is an issue of public safety. Most folks do not normally pull onto sidewalks to stop. Crime Prevention Tip of the Day: For the parents of this year's incoming freshman class, the countdown for the fall 2008 semester has started. There are 15 days left before the first day of Moove-In. There are several things that you can start doing to get your student ready. Today's To Do List 0 During parent's orientation, there was a steady flow of questions that pertained to laptop computers and computer security. There are several things that can be done to ensure that your laptop computer is secure. Simply lock your dormitory room when you leave for a couple of minutes. And when you find yourself studying in a public area, don't leave your property unattended. If your computer is stolen there are a couple of things you can do, prior to the theft. Engrave your property with your driver's license number on two surfaces that are plainly visible. You can borrow an electric engraver from many law enforcement agencies, including The University of Texas at Austin Police Department. Also consider installing tracking software. Such programs have aided several stolen laptop recoveries. Do an internet check for laptop tracking software and find a program that fulfills your needs. 08/05/08 tip 0 For years UT has averaged more Auto thefts than you might realize. Cars are stolen on a monthly basis. What is one thing all car thefts have in common? Ease of committing the theft. For that reason, UTPD has several recommendations for your vehicle's protection. Number one, park your vehicle in areas of high traffic. Vehicular and foot traffic provides natural surveillance of your vehicle. Next, use a steering wheel locking device on your vehicle. This serves as a visual deterrent to auto thieves. Steering wheel locks can be seen from outside the vehicle; making a thief wonder how quickly he or she can steal your car. Have a “Kill Switch†installed in your car. These devices prevent your vehicle from being turned on or from driving for a great distance if your car is stolen. Most automobile alarm shops can install a kill switch in your car. Speaking of automobile alarm shops, I recently heard of an alarm system that takes a digital picture of the interior of your car seconds after it is illegally entered. The picture is sent to your cell phone. This lets you know when your car was broken into and provides a visual image of the offender. Finally, consider buying a GPS tracking system for your vehicle. As always, do not leave any items inside your vehicle, as auto burglary happen way more than auto thefts. 08/04/08 tip 0 The "To Do List" is starting to get long, but that is not a problem. So far everything has been common sense and using good judgment. Many students are looking forward to bringing their cars. Auto burglary and auto theft are a concern on every campus. Many of the auto thefts start out as an auto burglary. Do not allow your student to use their vehicle as a storage facility. Keep all personal property stored out of sight, after it has been properly marked with a driver's license number. 8/1/08 tip 0 After marking all of your student's property with their driver's license number or State issued ID number, take some time and talk. Find out what their expectations of college are. With the remaining time we will be addressing some of your concerns. 7-31-08 tip 0 Mark all of your property with your State issued driver's license number. Remember, property thefts are the number 1 crime at UT. Look into a two-lock locking system when securing your bicycle on campus. This locking system will incorporate a U-shaped lock that uses a flat key. The second lock used will be a self-locking cable lock. You are now requiring the thief to use two separate tools in order to steal your property. Now 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 21 alarm calls, 1 public assist, 1 stuck elevator, 1 suspicious person, 1 welfare concern, 1 collision and 1 unsecured door report between 08/05/08 and 08/06/08. If you are a faculty or staff member that has been affected by a crime, the UT Employee Assistance Program (471-3366) is available for counseling and referrals to other appropriate services. http://www.utexas.edu/hr/eap/ To view a map of the campus visit: http://www.utexas.edu/parking/maps/index.html RAD Program For Women, Now Available (Classes are FREE) Advanced RAD Classes Being Held for RAD Class Graduates The RAD program is a 16-hour course of realistic self-defense tactics and techniques for women that covers assault prevention and risk reduction while progressing on to basic hands-on defense training. http://www.utexas.edu/police/rad/ Defensive Driving: Learn Defensive Driving from a UTPD Police Officer. UTPD generally schedules a Defensive Driving Class approximately once a month – based on need. The classes meet in the University Police Building, Room 1.318, located at 2201 Robert Dedman Dr (east of Memorial Stadium). The cost for the course is $25.00 (check or cash) payable on class date. If paying in cash, please bring the exact amount because change may not be available. You will also need to bring your driver's license. For more information, to check for the next available class time or to register on-line go to: http://www.utexas.edu/police/services/defensive_driving.php Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL) The Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL) is a partnership among the Office of the Dean of Students, Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and the University of Texas Police Department (UTPD). BCAL provides a central resource for UT faculty, students, and staff who may have concerns about the behavior or well-being of another member of the campus community. By calling BCAL at 512-232-5050, callers may talk with trained staff members who will assist the caller in exploring available options and strategies as well as referrals to appropriate campus support networks. For more information on BCAL, visit the BCAL Web site at www.utexas.edu/safety/bcal or call 512-232-5050. 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 WRP To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit http://www.utexas.edu/police/campuswatch/subscribe.php
