Campus Watch: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by the University Police Department patrol officers between Friday, 3/05/10 and Monday, 3/08/10. AT&T CONFERENCE CENTER, 1900 University Ave. Criminal Mischief / Criminal Trespass Warning: A UT staff member reported four non-UT subjects had taken the time to smear food and ketchup on the exterior door of a fifth floor room. The victim saw all four subjects enter into another hotel room and lock the door. UT staff determined all four subjects were registered guests but refused to open the door until the UT police officers arrived. All four subjects were given verbal Criminal Trespass warnings and were escorted from the property. No charges for Criminal Mischief were filed. Occurred on: 3-06-10, at 2:54 AM. JESTER WEST DORMITORY, 201 East 21St Street Assault: A UT student reported a non-UT subject had assaulted him near the entrance to the dormitory. During the investigation, the subject changed his story and location of his injuries. As the investigation continued, the officers located the suspect. The officers learned both parties had a night on the town going from one establishment to another. The victim had passed out and the suspect took him home where they got into an argument. Occurred on: 3-05-10, at 11:40 PM. JESTER WEST DORMITORY, 201 East 21st Street Theft: A blue GT mountain bicycle was stolen from the bike racks located on the south side of the building after being secured with a self-locking cable lock. Loss value: $200.00. Occurred between: 3-06-10 and 3-07-10. JESTER WEST DORMITORY, 201 East 21st Street Public intoxication: Two UT students discovered a third UT student passed out next to an air vent. They brought the subject into the dormitory and requested assistance. During the investigation, the subject began using very salty language towards the officers and towards Austin EMS as he was being treated for alcohol poisoning. The subject was transported to a local area hospital for additional treatment. Charges for Public Intoxication were filed. Occurred on: 3-07-10, at 5:25 AM. JESTER WEST DORMITORY, 201 East 21st Street Theft: A blue Mongoose mountain bicycle was stolen from the bike racks located on the south side of the building after being secured with a self-locking cable lock. Loss value: $150.00. Occurred between 3-05-10 and 3-07-10. KINSOLVING DORMITORY, 2605 Whitis Ave Theft: A blue and silver Schwinn mountain bicycle was stolen from the bike racks located on the west side of the building after being secured with a self-locking cable lock. Loss value: $250.00. Occurred between: 3-01-10, and 3-03-10. MAIN BUILDING, #1 South Mall Theft: A silver Schwinn mountain bicycle was stolen from the bike racks located on the west side of the building after being secured with a self-locking cable lock. Loss value: $250.00. Occurred on: 3-07-10, between 9:30 PM and 10:30 PM. PAISANO RANCH, 11535 Rawhide Trail Criminal Mischief / Criminal Trespass: A UT staff member discovered damage to the main gate leading to the Paisano Ranch and a broken and discarded lock on the ground. A short distance from the gate, the staff member observed a white Chevy Tahoe partially submerged in the creek after the vehicle had driven off of a low water crossing. The officers noted the vehicle had extensive collision damage and the driver of the vehicle had not remained on scene. The officers were able to contact the non-UT driver. Damage value: unknown at this time. Discovered on: 3-6-10, at 11:20 AM. THOMPSON CONFERENCE CENTER, 2405 Robert Dedman Dr Suspicious Person: Several UT staff member encountered an unknown female wandering the 1st and 2nd floor of the building. The subject was seen pulling on doors and looking for unsecured rooms. When approached by the staff, the subject would ignore their questions. The unknown subject was described as: White female, 5'-03â€, with blonde hair. The subject was last seen wearing a blue jacket. The officers searched the area with negative results. Occurred on: 3-05-10, at 12:20 PM. TOWNES HALL, 727 East Dean Keeton Theft: A UT student reported an unknown subject had removed her personal property from a secured locker located on the second floor. During the investigation, the victim identified her personal property as four law textbooks. Loss value: $210.00. Occurred between: 3-04-10 and 3-05-10. TWENTY-SEVENTH STREET PARKING GARAGE, 109 West 27th Street Harassment: A UT staff member reported receiving two to three telephone calls each day for the past several weeks where all he hears is open air. After receiving a very similar call, the staff member hung up and used the *57 feature on his campus telephone and was able to trap the in-coming telephone number. Occurred between: 2-15-10 and 3-05-10. Crime Prevention Tip: We have seen an increase in the number of reports of harassment and harassing telephone calls. In a number of the reports the victim had been able to successfully trap the telephone number of the person that was harassing them. *57 is a feature that is available, free of charge with any UT owned telephone and is simple to use. Simply hang up on the caller that is harassing you. Pick up the receiver and dial *57. You will hear one of two messages; either the number was successfully trapped or it was not. 200 BLOCK WEST 6th STREET Public Intoxication: A non-UT subject was reported standing in the middle of a busy street. The officers located the subject standing on the corner swaying back and forth. The subject informed the officers that he was trying to get to his hotel and pointed across the street. When asked, the subject confirmed he had been drinking… A lot. The subject was taken into custody for Public Intoxication and was transported to Central Booking. Occurred on: 3-07-10, at2:00 AM. 1700 BLOCK MANOR ROAD Tampering with Evidence/ No Valid Driver's License: A UT Police Officer observed a non-UT subject attempting to light a substance in a small pipe while parked inside a vehicle. When the subject realized he was being watched by a uniformed police officer he drove away. During the investigation, the subject admitted he had attempted to “light a bowl†when he saw the officer and decided to leave. When he pulled out of the parking lot, the subject stated he throw the pipe away. The subject was taken into custody for Tampering with Evidence. In addition to the law enforcement action taken, the officer discovered the subject did not have a valid driver's license issued to him. Occurred on: 3-06-10, at 3:53 PM. 1900 BLOCK SAN JACINTO BLVD. Assist Outside Agency: A non-UT subject driving a red Mazda was stopped for exceeding the posted speed limit. During the traffic investigation, the officer soon learned the subject had three outstanding Outside Agency arrest warrants for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and two traffic warrants. The subject was taken in custody and was transported to Central Booking. Occurred on: 3-07-10, at 12:40 AM. 2000 BLOCK JESTER CIRCLE / 300 BLOCK EAST 21st STREET Burglary of Motor Vehicle / Theft / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia / Criminal Trespass Warning: A UT staff member reported a non-UT subject had entered into his unsecured UT vehicle and had removed a small bag of hand tools. When the suspect saw the witness watching him, he placed the tool bag next to the rear tire of the vehicle. The subject left the area and headed to the bike racks located on the west side of San Jacinto Residence Hall and removed a black Schwinn mountain bicycle from the racks after cutting through the lock. A second witness began following the subject, from a safe distance and notified the police department on the subject's direction of travel. Officers located the subject and took him into custody and was transported to Central Booking. The subject was found to be in possession of a small pipe that contained cocaine residue. In addition to the law enforcement actions taken the subject was issued a written Criminal Trespass Warning. Occurred on: 3-07-10, at 5:53 PM. Crime Prevention Tip: As with any story there is always more to it. The same goes for this crime. There were several things stacked against this criminal. First, two observant individuals who did not hesitate to contact the police when they saw the subject committing a criminal act. Second, a student who took the time to register her property with Parking and Transportation. The subject steadfastly claimed at the scene that the bike was his for over a year. The third factor came into play when the officers were able to coordinate their efforts based on the information by the witnesses. Hats off to everyone. 2400 BLOCK SPEEDWAY Criminal Trespass / Evading Arrest: A UT police officer observed a known offender walking with a group of students. When the officer attempted to stop the subject as the subject quickened his pace to a dead run. The subject was taken into custody for Criminal Trespass and Evading Arrest and was transported to Central Booking. Occurred on: 3-06-10, at 4:00 PM. 2600 BLOCK WICHITA Theft: A silver Cypress bicycle and bike helmet were stolen from the bike racks located on the north side of Burdine Hall after being secured with a lock. Loss value: $115.00. Occurred on: 3-07-10, between 12:30 PM and 3:30 PM. Spring Break Safety Tips With Spring Break rapidly approaching, it is time to start looking at safety and security tips pertaining to Spring Break activities. I would like to start this series of tips with a very specific tip. - Prepare your residence for your Spring Break absence. - Make sure you have your mail held at the post office and your newspaper delivery suspended. - Check out an electric timer from the police department. A timer can be used to turn your interior lights on and off. This gives the impression your home is occupied. - Make sure your lawn, if you have one, is mowed and edged before you leave. An unkempt lawn is an indication no one is at home. - Prepare your vehicle for Spring Break - This would be a good time to have a mechanic go over your vehicle. - Change the oil - Have the belts and engine hoses checked - Check all of your vehicle's fluid levels checked and check the tire pressure - Put together an emergency kit. This kit will contain some of the following items: Water Emergency Blanket Flashlight / Extra Batteries First Aid Kit Car Cell Phone Charger Traffic Safety Vest ($9.00 in the sporting goods section of many stores) Granola bars - Preparing your personal items for the trip and packing - When packing your clothes for the trip, consider the attire of local people in the area you are visiting. Do not dress to “flashy†or “laid-back†as that may cause you to stand out as a tourist and an easy target. Plan to dress conservatively. - Before you leave, take time to plan out your trip. Having an itinerary and sharing it with friends you are travelling with helps to identify possible problems and areas where security may be of more concern. Include your travel plans in the itinerary (how you will be travelling – plane, train, auto, bus, bicycle etc. and the identifiers for that method of travel; i.e. flight number 7645 leaving Austin – Bergstrom at 10 a.m. arriving at JFK International at 3:00p.m.) Make sure you provide a copy of this itinerary with friends or family that are staying here. That way, they know more about where you are, where you plan to be and when you will be back. - If travelling abroad, make sure you look up the local police department telephone numbers and the nearest US Embassy telephone numbers. Program those numbers into your cell phone. You never know when you will need them. - Check the State Department webpage for any travel advisories. The web address is http://www.state.gov/travel/ - Check the contents of your wallet. Only bring that which is necessary. Limit the amount of cash you take with you. Use traveler's checks or a credit card instead. Write down the 1-800 number to your credit card in the event your card is lost or stolen. Keep that number in your hotel. - If you take prescription medications, make sure you have enough of the prescription to last you through the trip. KEEP YOUR PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS IN THEIR ORIGINAL PRESCRIPTION BOTTLE. - Keep your name and address on the inside of your luggage and write your contact information on the luggage tag. Use a luggage tag that has a cover so your information can not be seen by someone walking by your luggage. - Stay with your luggage from your house, to the airport and up to the bag check. Watch the bag security check and ask Transportation Security Agency Officers to lock your bag after it is checked. CAMPUS WIDE: Non-Criminal Calls: In addition to the above criminal cases, the University of Texas Police Department responded to 56 Alarm Calls 1 fire alarm call, 14 callbox notifications, 1 EMS call, 2 welfare calls, 4 lighting surveys, 3 Suspicious Activity Reports, and 20 unsecured door report, between 03/05/10 and 3/08/10. To view a map of the campus visit: http://www.utexas.edu/parking/maps/index.html 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
