Campus Watch: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by the University Police Department patrol officers between Friday, 10/03/08 and Monday, 10-06-08. If you have any information pertaining to any of these cases or other criminal or suspicious activity, please contact the UT Police Department at 512-471-4441. NATIONAL NIGHT OUT The 25th Annual National Night Out is scheduled for Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at the Gregory Gym Aquatic Complex from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and The Brackenridge Apartment Complex Jasper Park from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Come out to meet your neighbors, enjoy food, games, entertainment and a chance to win one of many door prizes. Come out to one of the two parties for your chance to win one of many wonderful door prizes like an i-pod, a free Kaplan LSAT course or GMAT course, water craft rentals from Just for Fun, u-lock bicycle locks, personal alarms or gift certificates from local businesses, internet services and restaurants like Academy Sports and Outdoors, The Clay Pit, New World Deli, Texadelphia, i-Tunes, Pic-A-Prof and many more. While you are out at the Aquatic Complex National Night Out Party, be sure to sign-up for one of the scheduled activities; like a Hot Shots pool basketball shoot out, a cannon ball contest, a limbo contest or get a couple of friends and participate in a swimming relay. The more activities you participate in the more opportunities you will have to win one of the many door prizes. Are you hungry for justice? Come out and enjoy chicken planks from the North End Zone's WoW Café and Wingery, pizza from Austin's Pizza and pizza rolls from Double Dave's Pizza. While you enjoy the food, ask a police officer how you can have a pizza delivered to you courtesy of UTPD and that officer will tell you about UT's Hungry for Justice program. Tips Regarding the Attached Austin Police Department Press Release Please see the press release attachments to today's e-mail regarding recent assaults that have occurred in neighborhoods surrounding the campus. If anyone has information pertaining to the cases, contact the Austin Police Department contact number listed on the press release. In light of recent crimes occurring just off of campus, we would like to provide general crime prevention tips regarding personal safety. - When possible, travel with friends. There is safety in numbers. - Let others, like your roommate(s), friends and family, know where you are going and when you expect to be back. Also provide those people with a telephone number where you can be reached. - Be observant when walking or driving. Let people know that you are aware of what is going on around you – that makes you a less likely target. - Part of being observant and knowing what is happening around you is keeping your eyes and ears open. Sleeping in public makes you more susceptible to an attack. Walking while talking on a cell phone or listening to your MP3 player with both ear buds in makes you less aware. Save the call for a later time and walk or run with only one ear bud in – that allows you to hear people around you with the other ear. - Listen to your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable, then leave the area. The best way to avoid or end an attack or conflict is to leave the area. - Avoid areas that are convenient for an attacker. Areas with natural hiding places like locations with vegetation overgrowth, blind spots in a building's design, narrowing of pathways around trees, buildings, parking lots etc, are good places for an attacker to lay in wait. If the place you are in gives you a bad feeling, then leave that area and go to the last place you felt safe. - Keep a cellular telephone with you at all times. A cell phone is a life-line to the police department. If you ever find yourself thinking, “should I call the police?†Then yes, you should call the police. (9-1-1 is a free cell phone call and can not be blocked; even if you do not have a cell phone carrier.) - Prepare your body and boost your confidence. Both of these concerns may be addressed by taking advantage of the many programs offered right here on campus. The UT Police Department offers a Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) program free of charge to female faculty, staff and student members. This free 16-hour course teaches you to be more aware, to take preventative measures and to defend yourself if need be. To sign-up for the RAD program visit: http://www.utexas.edu/police/rad/ The Division of Recreational Sports offers several Sports Clubs that provide martial arts and defensive training. For more information on Rec Sports options, visit http://www.utrecsports.org/activities/activities/martialarts.php You can also take informal classes offered through the Union Informal Classes program. There you find a variety of programs design to boost your abilities and confidence in situations in which you may need to defend yourself. You can find out more information about Informal Classes by visiting their website at: https://informalclasses.org/index2.html ALMETRIS DUREN HALL, 2624 Whitis Ave Criminal Trespass Warning: UT police officers responded to a report of an overly aggressive subject arguing with a UT staff member. Upon arrival officers observed a non-UT subject crouched on top of the counter arguing. The officers issued the subject a Criminal Trespass Warning and escorted him from the area. Occurred on: 10-04-08, at 12:32 AM. BRAZOS PARKING GARAGE, 200 East Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Burglary of Motor Vehicle: A UT student reported discovering the passenger side window of Ford Mustang broken out. During the investigation, the officer discovered the in-dash stereo system had been removed. The officer was unable to make contact with the registered owner of the vehicle. Loss value unknown at this time. Discovered on: 10-06-08, at 4:40 AM. BRAZOS PARKING GARAGE, 200 East Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Possession of Drug Paraphernalia / Possession of Marijuana: A UT police officer discovered a vehicle, occupied by a UT student, inside the garage while responding to an activated alarm. During the investigation, the officer observed a clear plastic baggie on the front passenger seat. The baggie contained a substance that the officer recognized as marijuana. During the investigation, the officer searched the vehicle and discovered a homemade water bong and as well as a small ceramic pipe. Both devices contained burned residue. The student was issued a field release citation for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Occurred on: 10-04-08, at 11:36 PM. FRANK ERWIN CENTER, 1701 Red River Public Intoxication / Disorderly Conduct: A UT staff member reported that a non-UT subject had displayed a private personal part towards several ushers working the west side exterior doors. During the investigation, the subject was located and the officers detected a strong odor of alcohol on the subject's breath. The subject was positively identified by the victims and the subject was taken into custody for Public Intoxication and DOC and was transported to Central Booking. Occurred on: 10-03-08, at 10:30 PM. FRANK ERWIN CENTER, 1701 Red River Public Intoxication / Assault by Contact (3 Counts): An unknown subject approached a UT police officer and stated there was an intoxicated subject insulting patrons. During the investigation, the officers located the intoxicated subject and detected a very strong odor of alcohol on the subject's breath. The officer noted that the subject was slouched across several seats and had a very hard time standing up. The subject lost his balance and fell backwards. The officer asked the subject for his ID several times and the subject handed the officer a digital camera, cellular telephone and a sales receipt. The subject was taken into custody for Public Intoxication. During the investigation, the officer soon learned that the subject had not been insulting patrons, but had in fact assaulted three subjects. The subject was transported to Central Booking. Occurred on: 10-03-08, at 9:00 PM. GATEWAY APARTMENTS, 1600 West 6th Street Driving While Intoxicated / Collision: A UT student reported a vehicle had struck an apartment and that the driver was still in the area. During the investigation, the officers discovered a UT student passed out next to a vehicle. As the investigation continued, the officers learned that the student had driven off the roadway and attempted to drive between two apartment buildings, striking one building. The officers detected a very strong odor of alcohol on the driver's breath and noted that his eyes were bloodshot. The subject was taken into custody for Driving While Intoxicated and was transported to Central Booking. Occurred on: 10-04-08, at 3:49 AM. PARKING LOT 114, 2200 Leona Burglary of Motor Vehicle: A UT police officer discovered the passenger side window of a 1999 Pontiac broken and lying on the ground. The officer attempted to contact the registered owner. As the investigation continued, the officer was unable to determine if any personal property had been taken. Loss value: Unknown at this time. Discovered on: 10-04-08, at 7:15 AM. PARKING LOT 115, 2000 Block Leona Burglary of Motor Vehicle (4 Counts): A UT police officer observed two subjects in lot 115. One subject was standing between two parked vehicles while the second was standing on the corner acting as a "look-out." The officer drove in behind both subjects and saw a broken vehicle window. Both subjects decided it was time to leave and attempted to leave the lot. The officer stopped both subjects and during the investigation discovered several vehicles had been broken into and the owner's personal property was removed. As the investigation continued, the officers took both subjects into custody for Burglary of Motor Vehicle. Both subjects were transported to Central Booking. Loss value: Unknown at this time. Occurred on: 10-05-08, at 1:45 PM. PETER T. FLAWN ACADEMIC CENTER, #2 West Mall Theft: An HP brand IPAQ PDA was reported stolen after being left unattended inside 2nd floor men's restroom. Loss value: $400.00. Occurred on: 10-04-08, between 12:01 PM and 12:20 PM. STUDENT SERVICES BUILDING, 100 West Dean Keeton Criminal Trespass Warning (2 Counts): A UT staff member reported two non-UT subjects were attempting to obtain medical services by misrepresenting themselves as UT students. During the investigation the officer learned that both subjects were current ACC students and were no longer enrolled as UT students. Both subjects were issued Criminal Trespass Warnings and their expired UT ID cards were confiscated. Prior to releasing both subjects the officer asked if they needed medical attention and offered Austin EMS services to them. Both declined. Occurred on: 10-04-08, at 2:05 PM. UNIVERSITY TEACHING CENTER, 105 West 21st Street Theft: A backpack containing a Dell laptop computer and Accounting Financial textbook was stolen from a 4th floor classroom after being left unattended. Loss value: $1,540.00. Occurred on: 10-03-08, between 3:55 PM and 4:20 PM. 2300 BLOCK GUADALUPE Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol by a Minor / Possession of Alcohol by a Minor: A Dodge van was observed committing several traffic violations. During the traffic investigation, the officer detected an odor of alcohol on the driver's breath. The UT student denied having consumed any alcohol, then changed his story to having had two beers. The officer administered the Standardized Field Sobriety test to the driver. The driver displayed several clues that indicated he was intoxicated. The officer issued the subject a field release citation for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol by a Minor as well as Possession of Alcohol by a Minor when several 12-oz beer cans were discovered inside the vehicle. Occurred on: 10-05-08, at 2:29 AM. 2500 BLOCK WHITIS AVE Attempted Theft: A UT student observed an unknown subject attempting to cut through a self-locking cable lock that was securing a red bicycle to a rack located on the east side of the CMA complex. The student described the unknown subject as: Black male, last seen wearing a black shirt and jeans. During the investigation, the officers searched the area looking for the subject, but were unable to locate him. Occurred on: 10-04-08, at 1:52 AM. 2600 BLOCK SPEEDWAY Theft: A blue Cannondale mountain bicycle was reported stolen from the bike racks located on the south side of the building after being secured with a self-locking cable lock. Loss value: $400.00. Occurred 10-03-08, between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. CAMPUS WIDE: Non-Criminal Calls: In addition to the above criminal cases, The University of Texas Police Department responded to 45 alarm calls, 4 welfare concern reports, 7 suspicious person reports, 1 collision report, and 7 unsecured door reports between 10-03-08, and 10-06-08. 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 via e-mail to Darrell.halstead@austin.utexas.edu . Prepared by DWH To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit http://www.utexas.edu/police/campuswatch/subscribe.php
