Campus Watch: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by the University Police Department patrol officers between Friday, 09/25/09 and Tuesday, 09/29/09. Emergency Text Message Service The University of Texas at Austin and its police department are responsible for notifying faculty, staff, and students of emergency situations (e.g., inclement weather, building evacuations, campus closures, etc.). The University employs a wide variety of tools to make sure everyone on campus is informed during an emergency event—including text messaging. In order to accomplish emergency text messaging more effectively, the University is collecting cell phone numbers from members of our campus community. Effective August 26, 2009, this database of cell phone numbers will be used for emergency text messages. Please complete the form at http://www.utexas.edu/cellphonealert so you will become an integral part of this important emergency notification system and help the university to achieve the highest standards of campus and community safety. Your cell phone number will not be used for any other purpose. If you require any additional information regarding this service, please contact Campus Safety and Security at (512) 471-5767. SCAM ALERT Bucknell University Police is investigating a possible debt collection scam facilitated though the USPS. Last week several hundred students may have received a letter from Advanced Collection Services requesting settlement of debt relating to “unauthorized unpaid downloads†for a loss incurred by Cayman Academic Resources. If you received an unsolicited email from a company or person you do not know, do not open any attachments and delete it. NEVER open attachments from unknown senders. ****ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE**** The University of Texas Police Department will be hosting the 6th annual Citizen's Police Academy (CPA). The CPA will be held every Monday night, beginning October 5, 2009. The academy will end, November 16, 2009 with a graduation ceremony. If you are interested in attending the next Citizen's Police Academy, contact Capt. Don Verett at 232-6444 or don.verett@austin.utexas.edu. ALMETRIS DUREN RESIDENCE HALL, 2624 Whitis Theft: A cable lock that was used to “secure†a bicycle to a bicycle rack located on the east side of the dormitory was removed from the bicycle and bicycle rack. The bicycle was left at the bicycle rack. The officer who discovered the unsecured bicycle also discovered an unsecured bicycle at Duren Hall whose u-lock was only partially closed and a bicycle at the Kinsolving Dormitory that had a u-lock only around the frame of the bicycle. All of the VERY LUCKY owners of these unsecured bicycles were located, as the bicycles had previously been registered. Loss value: $10.00. Discovered on 09/26/09 at 8:30 AM. FACILITY SERVICES BUILDING 1, 1301 East Dean Keeton SCAM: An astute staff member, who reads the Campus Watch, received an unsolicited telephone call from a subject calling himself “Kenny†who asked for the serial number of the staff member's departmental Canon photocopier. Realizing her department did not have a Canon photocopier, the staff member recalled a recent Campus Watch entry in which this type of call is a scam to send over-priced; under-quality print supplies to an unwitting company. The staff member disconnected the call and used the Star 57 (*57) feature of her campus phone to trap the number of the caller. Reported on 09/25/09 at 3:22 PM. GREGORY GYM, 2101 Speedway Theft: A UT student reported his iPhone, wallet, $20.00 in cash, and personal identification had been stolen. During the investigation, the officer learned the student had left his property unsecured and unattended next to a bench while he played basketball. Loss value: $270.00. Occurred on: 9-27-09, between 9:00 PM and 9:20 PM. JESTER CENTER EAST, 203 East 21st Street Public Intoxication / Possession of More Than One Valid Driver's License: A UT student was reported as being very intoxicated while sitting on a brick wall located at the dormitory patio. When asked for identification, the student produced on driver's license but before completing the act of handing it to the officer, the student exclaimed “whoops!†and withdrew the license. The student then produced his driver's license which showed him to be under the age of 21. The retracted driver's license was determined to belong to another person who was over 21 years of age. The subject claimed he had been at a fraternity party which was causing him to be lethargic. The officer detected a very strong odor of alcohol on the student's breath and noted other signs of intoxication. The student was taken into custody for Public Intoxication / Possession of More than One Valid Driver's License. Occurred on: 9-26-09, at 2:49 AM. PARKING LOT 114, 2200 Leona Criminal Trespass / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia: A known bicycle thief was observed in the corner of the parking lot under a tent and appeared to be “doing something†to a bicycle. The subject quickly rode the bicycle away. When the subject recognized the officers were following him, he abandoned the bicycle and began to briskly walk away. The subject changed directions several times to stay one step ahead of the officers (no pun intended). When the subject was stopped, he could not explain where he had obtained the bicycle and began to allude to the fact he acquired it on campus. The subject was found to have previously been issued a written criminal trespass warning. The subject was also found to be in possession of a glass pipe with burned cocaine residue in one end of the pipe. At this time, the owner of the bicycle is unknown. Occurred on 09/26/09 at 6:45 PM. PHARMACY BUILDING, 2409 University Ave Criminal Trespass Warning: A non-UT subject was reported to be yelling at both staff members and students outside a second floor classroom. During the investigation, the subject was uncooperative the officers and refused to follow directions. The officers issued the subject a written Criminal Trespass Warning and escorted him from the campus area. Occurred on: 9-28-09, at 12:07 PM. ROBERT A. WELCH HALL, 105 West 24th Street Theft: Two Epson digital projectors were stolen from a 2nd floor room. Loss value: $10,000.00. Occurred between 09/24/09 at 9:00 PM and 09/25/09 at 7:00 AM. ROBERT A. WELCH HALL, 105 West 24th Street Public Intoxication: A UT police officer observed an incoherent non-UT subject staggering and swaying back and forth. The subject would have fallen to the ground had it not been for the forethought of the building designers and proper placement of the east exterior wall of Welch Hall. During the investigation, the officer detected a very strong odor of alcohol on the subject's breath and noted other signs of intoxication. The subject was taken into custody for Public Intoxication and was transported to Central Booking. Occurred on: 9-26-09, at 9:57 PM. RUSSELL A. STEINDAM HALL, #7 East Mall Criminal Mischief: A UT police officer discovered a vent assembly had been dismantled and damaged after being pried out of a wooden door frame. Loss damaged: $50.00. Discovered on: 9-28-09, at 12:20 AM. TRINITY GARAGE, 1815 Trinity Criminal Trespass Warning: A non-UT subject was reported as soliciting football game tickets by the entrance to the parking garage. The subject was issued a written Criminal Trespass Warning.. Occurred on 09/26/09 at 11:06 AM. TRINITY GARAGE, 1815 Trinity Burglary of Motor Vehicle: The front passenger window of a black Ford Explorer was discovered broken out by a UT police officer. The officer saw both the glove box and center console had been opened, but was unable to tell if any property had been removed from the vehicle. The owner contacted the Police Department and reported a TomTom GPS system and charger had been removed from his vehicle. Loss value: $150.00. Discovered on: 9-28-09, at 4:16 PM. TRINITY GARAGE, 1815 Trinity Burglary of Motor Vehicle: A UT student discovered the front passenger side window of his silver Subaru was broken and his Passport 9500 radar detector had been removed from his vehicle. Loss value: $500.00. Occurred on: 9-28-09, between 11:24 AM and 8:05 PM. UNION BUILDING, #4 West Mall Criminal Trespass Warning: A non-UT subject was asked by a building manager to leave the building earlier in the day when the subject was reported to the manager as using campus computers to view objectionable materials. The building manager observed the subject in the building a few hours later and contacted the police department. The subject was issued a written criminal trespass warning. Occurred on 09/26/09 at 9:44 PM. 1800 BLOCK LAVACA Driving While Intoxicated: A non-UT subject was stopped after the subject failed to drive his silver 2006 Chevrolet from a stopped position at an intersection while the vehicle had a standing green light. Several vehicles behind the Chevrolet were forced to maneuver around the Chevrolet. The Chevrolet remained standing at the green light for an entire light cycle. The driver initially stated he had consumed two or three drinks, then later recanted by professing he had consumed four or five beers; or maybe it was five or six…the jury is still out as to how much he stated he had consumed. The subject did state he believed the time was 1 PM or 2 PM and as he put it, “a good time to catch drunk driver.†The subject was found to have consumed alcoholic beverages to the point he was deemed to have been driving while intoxicated. Occurred on 09/26/09 at 2:38 AM. 500 EAST 23rd STREET Assist Outside Agency: A UT staff member was stopped for speeding while driving a white 2001 GMC Jimmy. The staff member was found to have an outstanding outside agency arrest warrant for failing to appear for a traffic violation. Occurred on 09/25/09 at 5:40 PM. 2100 BLOCK SAN JACINTO Theft: A brown tri-fold wallet was found on the north side of the stadium. The wallet contained a driver's license and a debit card. Upon contacting the owner, it was discovered the wallet had fallen out of the owner's pocket along with several other items. The owner believes he failed to recognize his wallet had fallen out of his pocket when he picked his belongings up. The owner stated $240 in cash had been stolen from the wallet. Occurred on 09/25/09 at 4:00 PM. CAMPUS WIDE: Non-Criminal Calls: In addition to the above criminal cases, the University of Texas Police Department responded to 37 alarm calls, 4 “Police Help†call box activation, 2 public assist requests, 16 unsecured door reports, and 1 suspicious odor report between 09/25/09 and 09/29/09. 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
