Campus Watch: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by the University Police Department between Monday, 03/12/12 and Tuesday, 03/13/12. SCAM ALERT The University of Texas Police Department has received information involving the submission of false invoices. Several UT departments have received fraudulent invoices for services rendered when those services were not contracted or requested. Double check all invoices prior to submitting payments. Report all suspicious activity to the University of Texas Police Department at 512-471-4441. ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE The Texas Department of Public Safety has raised safety concerns and advised students on spring break to avoid Mexico. DPS issued the advisory Tuesday, citing continued violence throughout Mexico. The U.S. State Department last month recommended that Americans avoid travel to all or parts of 14 of 31 Mexican states. It's the widest travel advisory issued by the U.S. since Mexico stepped up its drug war in 2006. NORMAN HACKERMAN BUILDING, 100 East 24th Street Theft: A black metal IPod Touch was reported stolen from inside a closed backpack. During the investigation, the officer learned the victim had placed his backpack down on a bench and left it unattended for several minutes while making a telephone call. Loss value: $20.00. Occurred on: 3-12-12 between 12:30 and 1:30 PM. 200 BLOCK EAST 24th STREET Theft: A red mountain bicycle, unknown brand, was reported stolen from a bike rack located on 24th Street after being secured with a chain lock. Loss value: $500.00. Occurred between: 3-07-12 and 3-12-12. 1900 BLOCK SAN JACINTO BLVD. Aggravated Robbery / Possession of a Controlled Substance / Possession of a Dangerous Drug: A UT staff member was stopped while riding his bike by a non-UT subject driving a dark colored Jeep. The subject asked the staff member for directions, then pulled a realistic replica of a semi-automatic pistol and pointed it at the staff member. The suspect then demanded all of the staff member’s money. The staff member rode away quickly and notified the UT Police Department. The responding officers quickly located the suspect two blocks away. During the investigation, the officers located the weapon inside the vehicle and took the suspect into custody for Aggravated Robbery. Officers also discovered the suspect was in possession of not only a controlled substance, but was also in possession of a dangerous drug. The officers transported the suspect to Central Booking Additional charges for Possession of a Controlled Substance / Possession of a Dangerous Drug were filed. Occurred on: 3-12-12, at 7:07 AM. Crime Prevention Tip of the Day: The following tips are provided by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) Whether you are headed to the beach or overseas, or devoting your spring break to community service, it’s important to keep your safety in mind. In addition to common sense travel safety tips like wearing sunscreen and keeping your passport safe, there are some things you can do to reduce the risk and prevent you or a friend from being the victim of sexual assault. 1. Trust your instincts. If you feel unsafe in any situation, go with your gut. If you feel uncomfortable or something doesn’t feel right, leave and get to a safe place immediately. If someone is pressuring you, it’s better to lie and make up a reason to leave than to stay and be uncomfortable, scared, or worse. 2. Protect your location on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare etc. Think twice before sharing every detail of your spring break on Facebook and Twitter. Despite security settings, posting information about your whereabouts or activities can still reveal details that are accessible to the public. Use your best judgment when “checking-in” on Facebook or Foursquare and be cautious of revealing personal information through status updates or tweets with Twitter trends like #SpringBreak and #SB2012. 3. Get Local. Know your accommodation address and the safest routes to and from your local destinations. Have the number for local cab companies on hand and always keep enough cash on you to take a taxi home. Know who to contact in the event of an emergency, such as 911 or local authorities. If traveling internationally, have the contact information for the U.S. Embassy with you. 4. Be a good friend and stick together. Arrive together, check in with one another throughout the night, and leave together. Think twice about going off alone; if you have to separate from your friends, let them know where you are going and who you are with. If something seems questionable or someone is acting aggressively, don’t be afraid to intervene. By speaking up, you may help prevent your friend from being the victim (or perpetrator) of a crime. 5. Don’t let your guard down. A spring break destination can create a false sense of security among vacationers. Don't assume that fellow spring breakers will look out for your best interests; remember they are essentially strangers. 6. Use your cell phone as a tool. If you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, shoot a quick text for a "friend-assist." Make a back-up plan before you go out just in case your phone dies. If you are traveling internationally, buy a pay-as-you-go phone or contact your cell phone provider to activate international coverage during your trip. 7. Drink responsibly and know your limits. Always watch your drink being prepared, and, when possible, buy drinks in bottles. If you lose sight of your drink or believe it might have been tampered with, throw it out and get a new one. If you or a friend seem too intoxicated for the amount of alcohol consumed or you suspect that someone has been drugged, get to a hospital. The University of Texas Police Department responded to 12 Alarm Calls, 2 Suspicious Activity Reports, 2 Suspicious Person Reports, 1 Medical Call, 1 Medical Call, 2 Unsecured Door Reports between 03/12/12 and 03/13/12. To view a map of the campus visit: Are you a Fan of the University of Texas Police Department? Come join us on Facebook 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. SURE Walk is a student-run volunteer group that provides walks to and from campus to UT students, faculty, and staff, with the help of student volunteers. Volunteers are gathered from trusted organizations from around campus, such as Orange Jackets and APO, and include both males and females. An agency of Student Government, SURE Walk is in service Monday through Thursday from 10 p.m. – 2 a.m. during the fall and spring semesters. To order a walk, call (512) 232-9255 or email orderasurewalk@gmail.com, and two volunteers, one male and one female, will meet you at your current location and walk you to your destination, whether it be on campus or in the greater campus neighborhoods. If you have any questions, concerns, or if your organization is interested in volunteering, please e-mail: texassurewalk@gmail.com. Lost and Found Property Did you lose something on campus? Please report your missing property to UTPD Lost and Found at http://www.utexas.edu/police/lostandfound. Or call 512-232-9619 and describe your item to us. If we have your item, we’ll contact you as quickly as possible to arrange its return to you. UTPD handles over 5000 lost and found items each year from campus departments, although we cannot accept clothing, food or drink containers, toiletries, broken or soiled property. Campus departments are encouraged to call 471-4441 to have UTPD pick up lost and found items that are unclaimed after one week. 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. Campus Safety and Security at (512) 471-5767. 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 RAD Program For Women, Now Available (Classes are FREE) 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/ 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. 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/ 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\
