Campus Watch: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by the University Police Department between Tuesday, 03/01/11 and Wednesday, 03/02/11. ***** ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE ***** We are 9 days out and counting before the beginning of Spring Break 2011. Beginning today we are going to address most of the safety concerns that are brought up during the school year and are magnified during this time of the year. Vehicle Safety Only practice and experience can make one a good driver. Most highway crashes are due to the driver’s inexperience or temperment. To become a good driver, one must follow several rules. Give driving your full attention. Dangerous distractions like texting, talking on your cell phone, or eating should be avoided. Learn to drive in different situations like night driving, highway driving or driving in bad weather. We call this situational driving. Obey the traffic laws and the rules of the road. Relax and enjoy your trip. Bicycle Safety The weather is turning warmer and more and more students / staff / faculty are deciding to ride their bicycles around campus. As the gas prices continue to rise, this trend will increase. With more cyclists on the road, I would like to take the time to remind everyone of some basic rules. Bicyclists are required to follow the same laws as if they were operating a motor vehicle. These laws are enforceable and can result in traffic citations being issued. You can help avoid these citation and keep everyone safe by doing the following: • stopping at red lights and stop signs, • yield to pedestrians in the crosswalks • paying attention to lane markers, • riding near the curb, traveling in the same direction as traffic, and • having a light on the front and a red reflector or red light on the back of your bike while riding at night. • most areas of Austin ,as well as UT, bicycles are banned from riding on the sidewalks. CHEMICAL & PETROLEUM ENGINEERING BUILDING, 200 East Dean Keeton Theft: A silver Diamondback 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: $270.00. Occurred on: 3-01-11, between 1:00 PM and 4:10 PM. JESTER EAST DORMITORY, 203 East 21st Street Theft: A Blackberry Pearl and a pair of Sinster headphones were reported stolen after being left unattended and unsecured inside a 1st floor study room. The victim called his cell phone and an unknown male answered the phone. The victim asked the subject to return his phone. The unknown subject told him, “No!” When asked if he had also stolen his headphones, the unknown males stated he had. The subject then hung up the telephone. Loss value: $80.00. Occurred on: 3-01-11, between 4:00 AM and 4:40 AM. Crime Prevention Tip: This was all the information this student could provide to the officers with regards to his property. Since the fall 2010 semester we have been encouraging all of the UT students to register their property online with the UT Police Department. If your property is stolen you will be able to provide not only the make and model but also the serial number. The website can be accessed at: www.utexas.edu/police/property For more information contact the UT Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit at 512-232-9634 or 512-232-9638. E.P. SCHOCH BUILDING, #6 East Mall Graffiti: A UT Police Officer discovered a piece of paper glued to a first floor window. Above the paper, the officer saw a letter written in black paint drawn in the middle of a circle. Estimated damage: $150.00. Discovered on: 3-2-11, at 2:21 AM. PAINTER HALL, 103 West 24th Street Criminal Trespass Warning: A UT student reported a male and female were arguing inside a 5th floor office. The reporting person stated the male subject had pushed his way into the office. During the investigation, the officers located a UT student and a non-UT subject inside the office. The subjects informed the officers that they had been involved in an argument about the fact the non-UT subject had gained access into the student’s office in order to gain access to her computer. The subject was issued a written Criminal Trespass Warning and was escorted from the area. Occurred on: 3-02-11, at 11:00 PM. TOWNS HALL, 727 East Dean Keeton Suspicious Person: A UT staff member reported a white male, wearing glasses and wearing a faded navy blue cap slinked into the building while watching the several staff members. The subject entered into a restricted area and the staff lost sight of him. The responding officers searched the area with negative results. During the investigation, the staff member stated the suspicious person appeared to be the same subject who had been arrested for Criminal Trespass the day before. Occurred on: 3-01-11, at 8:45 PM. 600 BLOCK COLORADO Public Intoxication: A non-UT subject was discovered staggering and using well placed sign poles to maintain his balance and support him from falling. During the investigation, the subject informed the officer that he had been to a downtown establishment, but due to the effects of the transporting elixir he believed it was February 1st 2010. 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: 3-02-11, at 2:12 AM. CAMPUS WIDE: Non-Criminal Calls: In addition to the above criminal cases, the University of Texas Police Department responded to 21 Alarm Calls, 2 Suspicious Persons Reports, 1 EMS call, 2 Burned out Light Reports, and 5 Unsecured Door Reports between 03/01/11 and 03/02/11. To view a map of the campus visit: http://www.utexas.edu/parking/maps/index.html Are you a Fan of the University of Texas Police Department? Come join us on Face Book at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/utaustinpolice Online property registration. Items with a serial number such as laptops, MP3 players, cell phones, electronics, and bikes are eligible. Registering your property is very helpful in theft investigations and in returning lost property to its rightful owner. Without identifying information, recovering stolen property is virtually impossible. Logon to https://www.utexas.edu/police/property/ to register your property today. 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
