Campus Watch: Below is a summary of campus activity reported to or observed by The University Police Department Patrol Officers between Tuesday, 10/27/15 and Thursday, 10/29/15. ALMETRIS DUREN HALL, 2624 Whitis Theft: A black Merin hybrid bicycle was stolen after it was left unsecured at the bike racks located on the northeast side of the building. Loss value: $300.00. Occurred on 10/28/15 between 12:00 AM and 1:30 AM. BURDINE HALL, 2505 University Criminal Mischief: The cushions to a couch located in a 5th floor hallway were cut by an unknown object. Repair cost: $20.00. Occurred between 10/06/15 at 7:00 AM and 10/27/15 at 2:00 PM. GREGORY GYMNASIUM, 2101 Speedway Theft: Two forms of identification and a debit card were stolen from an unattended bag near the third floor indoor track as the owner ran laps. Occurred on 10/27/15 between 7:20 PM and 8:00 PM. JESSE H. JONES COMMUNICATION BUILDING B, 2504 Whitis Theft: A blue Trek mountain bike was stolen while it was secured with a chain lock to the bicycle rack located on the west side of the building. Loss value: $300.00. Occurred on 10/28/15 between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM. JESTER WEST, 201 East 21st Street Theft: A black and silver Schwinn S25 bicycle was stolen while it was secured with a cable lock to the bicycle racks located inside the interior courtyard of the residence hall. Loss value: $100.00. Occurred between 10/22/15 at 3:00 PM and 10/27/15 at 9:00 PM. L. THEO BELMONT HALL, 2109 San Jacinto Theft: Two hooded sweat shirts, one white coat and two insulated water bottles, all properly adorned with UT branding, were stolen from a 9th floor room. Loss value: $100.00. Occurred between 10/23/15 at 2:00 PM and 10/26/15 at 7:30 AM. LITTLEFIELD FOUNTAIN, 200 West 21st Street Criminal Trespass / Assist Outside Agency / Criminal Trespass Warning: Two non-UT subjects were reported as “harassing people†after exiting the fountain. The two subjects were located a few blocks away. One of the subjects was found to have previously been issued a written criminal trespass warning for fishing quarters out of the same fountain. That subject was also found to have four outstanding outside agency arrest warrants for human waste in public (yuck!), camping in a public place and two for sitting or obstructing a sidewalk. That subject was taken into custody. His partner was issued a written criminal trespass warning. Occurred on 10/27/15 at 7:39 AM. LIVING LEARNING CENTER, 2610 Whitis Theft: A white Haro mountain bike was stolen while it was secured to a bike rack with a u-lock and a cable lock. Loss value: $250.00. Occurred between 10/27/15 at 10:00 PM and 10/28/15 at 9:00 AM. PERRY-CASTAÑEDA LIBRARY, 101 East 21st Street Criminal Trespass Warning: A non-UT subject was reported as “checking out a bike†at the bike racks located on the north side of the building. The subject was located on the 3rd floor of the library and was issued a written criminal trespass warning. Occurred on 10/27/15 at 3:27 PM. ROBERT LEE MOORE HALL, 2515 Speedway Criminal Trespass Warning: A non-UT subject was reported as sleeping in a 3rd floor hallway. The subject was located and awakened with the issuance of a written criminal trespass warning. Occurred on 10/28/15 at 5:11 AM. SARAH M. & CHARLES E. SEAY BUILDING, 108 East Dean Keeton Criminal Trespass: A non-UT subject, who is well known by UT Police Officers, was reported as loitering inside a 1st floor kitchen that was not open to the public. Officers found the subject in the 1st floor lobby and without hesitation took him into custody for criminal trespass based off of previously issued criminal trespass warnings. Occurred on 10/27/15 at 1:48 PM. UNION BUILDING, 2308 Whitis Theft: A Giant Escape (bike make and model – not a big jail break) bicycle was stolen while it was secured with a cable lock to the bicycle racks located on the northeast side of the building. Loss value: $350.00. Occurred between 10/22/15 at 3:00 PM and 10/27/15 at 3:00 PM. UNIVERSITY POLICE BUILDING, 2201 Robert Dedman Theft: A UT student came to the police department to report being the victim of a scam. The student stated on 10/27/15 at approximately 11:30 AM she received a phone call from a subject who called himself, “Johnny.†The caller told the student there was an arrest warrant out for her arrest for non-payment of taxes. The caller then provided personal information about the student to increase her confidence that there was indeed an investigation and arrest warrant for her. The caller remained on the phone as the student made several different cash transfers to three different people on 10/27/15. The caller told the student she still owed money and would need to make transfers the following day or face being arrested. On 10/28/15 the student made two other cash transfers to two of the same three people. In all, the student transferred $5,608.00. Reported on 10/28/15 at 4:07 PM. UNIVERSITY POLICE BUILDING, 2201 Robert Dedman Theft: The parent of a UT student contacted the UT Police Department to report her daughter may have been arrested or abducted. An extensive investigation revealed the student had received a phone call from someone claiming to be a federal agent and told the student she would be arrested if she did not pay $3,000.00 in “student taxes.†The caller directed the student to remain on the phone while the financial transactions were completed. The student was able to contact her roommate by text during the phone call. The text messages advised her roommate she was being arrested and asked her roommate to call her mother and have the funds wired to her account. The student's mother and a network of pseudo sleuths were able to determine the student had not been arrested. Knowing her daughter had not been arrested and being unable to contact her daughter, the mother of the student then became fearful her daughter had been kidnapped. The Austin Police Department and The University of Texas Police Department jointly worked on the case and quickly found the student at a nearby wire transfer business. The investigation revealed the student had not been arrested or kidnapped, but had fallen victim to a popular scam in which the thief calls students and threatens them with arrest for non-payment of taxes and demands they provide a money order or prepaid cash card information to avoid arrest. While the money had been transferred, the student was able to stop the transfer before the thief was able to claim the cash. Occurred on 10/27/15. Crime Prevention Tip: This report illustrates the possible negative impacts of this scam. These crimes don't just take money from the victims; they instill fear in the victim and in those who care for the victim. In recent cases (including the prior entry), the caller has placed the call from the following number: (202) 864-1380. The 202 area code is a Washington, D.C. area code which could make the victim believe even more that the caller is a “federal officer.†A simple internet search reveals calls form this number is a scam. There are two things I want everyone to consider doing to prevent this scam. First, forward this entry to those you know. If you work in a department that has an e-mail list for students, please check on your ability to forward this information. The more people know that this is a scam the less likely it is to be perpetrated. The second thing I encourage all of our students to do is visit the UT Registrar's webpage and restrict the information you allow to be posted by directory services. There is strong evidence to show the thief is obtaining student telephone numbers, local and permanent addresses, e-mail addresses, academic major and student year from on-line directory services. To restrict your directory information visit: http://registrar.utexas.edu/students/records/restrictmyinfo UNIVERSITY TEACHING CENTER, 105 West 21st Street Theft: A white Trek bicycle was stolen while it was somewhat secured with a u-lock to the bicycle racks located on the north side of the building. The u-lock was still secured to the bicycle rack when the owner returned to retrieve his bicycle. It is believed the u-lock was not fastened properly around the bicycle. Loss value: $500.00. Occurred on 10/28/15 between 6:30 PM and 8:19 PM. The University of Texas Police Department responded to 41 Alarm Reports, 1 “Police Help†Callbox Activation, 1 Fire Alarm Activation, 13 Traffic Violations, 7 Suspicious Activity Reports, 4 Unsecured Door Reports, 2 Medical Emergency Assists, 3 Welfare Concern Reports, and 9 Public Assist Requests between 10/27/15 and 10/29/15. Prepared by: Ofc. WR π/ To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit http://www.utexas.edu/police/campuswatch/subscribe.php/
