Campus Watch: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by the University Police Department patrol officers between Tuesday, 05/19/09 and Wednesday, 05/20/09. ****Upcoming Event**** Help support your local emergency responders and the Texas Special Olympics by registering for the 5K Run with Heroes race being held on June 7th at 8:00 a.m. This year's race will be run in memory and honor of fallen Austin Police Officer Amy Donovan. For more information, please see the attached documents. ****Scam Alert**** E-mail phishing scams have hit the cellular telephone world. Scam artists are now sending text messages to cell phone owners to “warn†of a suspicious charge and directing the cell phone owner to a phony web-site or requests that the cell phone owner call a telephone number to clear up the charge. If the cell phone owner responds, the scam artists then obtains personal information including credit card information. This new method of contacting potential victims is called “smishing.†If you get a suspicious text message inquiring about a credit card charge, or any text message requesting you visit a web page, be leery. Contact your credit card company by using the customer service number on the back of your card. Delete any suspicious text messages that you cannot independently verify as legitimate. CALHOUN HALL, #4 South Mall Harassment: An unknown subject left a threatening voice message on a staff member's 3rd floor office telephone. The caller eluded to repeated telephone calls placed to him from the 3rd floor office telephone number. The staff member does not know the subject and had never placed any telephone calls to the subject. Occurred on 05/18/09 at 6:17 p.m. JESTER CENTER WEST, 201 East 21st Street Theft: A white Navaro bicycle was stolen while it was “secured†with a cable lock to a bicycle rack located inside the dormitory courtyard. Loss value: $200.00. Occurred between 05/15/09 at 11:00 a.m. and 05/19/09 at 1:00 p.m. ROBERT A. WELCH HALL, 105 East 24th Street Attempted Theft / Criminal Mischief / Criminal Trespass / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia: Two staff members placed telephone calls to the UT Police Dispatcher to report a non-UT subject attempting to cut a lock that was securing a bicycle to the bicycle racks located on the east side of the building. The subject caused damage to the bicycle lock in his attempt to cut the lock off of the bicycle. The amount of attention drawn to the subject caused him to leave the bicycle racks before he completed the theft. The responding officer located the subject a block away and discovered the subject had previously been issued a written criminal trespass warning at a different bicycle rack on campus. The subject was found to be in possession of multiple bike theft tools, bicycle tools, a spare inner-tube, inner-tube patch kits and bicycle lights. The subject was also found to be in possession of a glass pipe containing wire mesh on one end with burned cocaine residue and a glass pipe containing burned marijuana residue. The owner of the bicycle that the subject attempted to steal could not be located. Reported on 05/19/09 at 7:21 a.m. SAN JACINTO RESIDENCE HALL, 309 East 21st Street Theft: A blue Specialized bicycle was stolen while it was secured with both a cable lock and u-lock style lock to a bicycle rack located near the dormitory. Loss value: $650.00. Occurred between 05/06/09 and 05/19/09 at 6:00 p.m. SAN JACINTO RESIDENCE HALL, 309 East 21st Street Theft: A silver MacBook pro was stolen from an unsecured 5th floor dormitory room. Loss value: $2,600.00. Occurred on 05/19/09 between 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. WALTER WEBB HALL, 2500 Guadalupe Graffiti: White paint was used to write an illegible word on the east exterior wall of the building. Removal cost: $70.00. Discovered on 05/19/09 at 8:45 p.m. 2400 block of Robert Dedman Criminal Mischief: The back left window of a 2005 Nissan Sentra was shattered while the vehicle was parked and unattended. The window did not break free from the window frame. There was no evidence to show an unknown subject had entered the vehicle. Repair cost: $150.00. Occurred on 05/19/09 between 5:50 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. CAMPUS WIDE: Non-Criminal Calls: In addition to the above criminal cases, the University of Texas Police Department responded to 16 alarm calls, 1 “Police Help†Call Box activation, 1 fire alarm activation, 2 unsecured door reports, 1 suspicious activity report, 1 motor vehicle collision and 3 public assist requests between 05/19/09 and 05/20/09. 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 cover 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 via e-mail to Darrell.halstead@austin.utexas.edu . Prepared by WRP To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit http://www.utexas.edu/police/campuswatch/subscribe.php
