Crime Prevention Tip of the Week: The holidays are an excellent time to update—or create—your home inventory. Take photos or make videos of items, and list descriptions and serial numbers. If your home is burglarized, or your property is stolen elsewhere, having a detailed inventory can help identify stolen items and make insurance claims easier to file. Make sure things like TVs, laptops, cell phones, stereo equipment, cameras, camcorders, sports equipment, jewelry, silver, computers, game consoles, and other valuables are on the list. UTPD has a place where you can list your possessions here at: https://police.utexas.edu/services/property Campus Watch: Below is a summary of campus criminal activity reported to or observed by The University of Texas At Austin Police Department Patrol Officers between Sunday 12/9/18 and Saturday 12/15/18. 12/15/2018, at 03:19 a.m., 2100 University (Littlefield Fountain). Criminal Trespass: UTPD Officers were dispatched to a 911 callbox alarm at the Littlefield Campus. The campus has approximately 200 callboxes, yellow poles with blue lights, which can contact 911 in emergency situations. In this case, when officers arrived they found there was no emergency situation, and in fact they recognized the man standing next to the callbox as someone who has been arrested numerous times for generating false alarms with callboxes. This man was cooperative and admitted that he had done this yet again. The man was given a written Criminal Trespass Warning, which means if he is found on campus in the future, he is subject to arrest. He was also arrested and transported to the Travis County Jail. 12/13/2018, at 10:11pm, 700 W 24th Street. Warrants, Possession of Marijuana, Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility, Driving While License Invalid: A UTPD Officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle when he observed its license plate was covered with plastic, and not readable. When he approached the driver, the Officer could smell unburnt marijuana coming from the vehicle. Due to the Carroll Doctrine, Officers can search a vehicle without a warrant if they have probable cause, such as the odor of marijuana, that a car contains evidence of a crime. In this case, the driver was cooperative and gave the Officer his marijuana and pipe, and the Carroll Search found no other contraband. The driver had nine active driver’s license suspensions, and no insurance. The driver also had eight arrest warrants, mostly for driving with a suspended license. Driver’s License noncompliance is a major risk factor on Texas roads. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety says that nearly one in three fatal car crashes involved a driver with a license revocation or suspension. The driver was therefore arrested for the warrants, and additionally for another charge of Driving While License Invalid. No charges were pursued for the marijuana. 12/12/2018, 3:06 am, 309 East 21st Street (San Jacinto Residence Hall). Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor: UTPD was dispatched to a medical emergency regarding a student who operated, and crashed, a Lime Rental Scooter while intoxicated on alcohol. UTPD caught up with the student in a bathroom, with a bloody face and nose. Officers attempted to talk to the student, but were met only with snoring, as the man was somehow asleep while lying on a bathroom sink. Austin / Travis County EMS arrived and also began trying to wake up the foggy student. The intoxicated student told medics he thought he was in Port Arthur. As the investigation continued, Officers learned the student was only 19 years old. Because a friend called 911, the student received no charges whatsoever, despite some very poor decisions about his safety. The student was transported to the hospital for both his facial injuries from the scooter, and due to the high degree of alcohol intoxication. 12/11/2018, 8:11 a.m. 1925 San Jacinto Blvd (School of Social Work). Suspicious Letter: UTPD received a report of suspicious mail. Without elaborating on what is suspicious, staff found suspicious writing on the outside of the envelope and a strange opening on the envelope. UTPD and Environmental Health and Safety have protocols for safely containing suspicious mail and determining its contents, and were able to test and determine there was nothing dangerous in the letter. When you see a suspicious package or letter, dial 911, provide a clear location, and stay away from the package or letter. Be safe and don’t bring these items into a building, if they are found outside, and don’t open the package before we arrive. Never feel that these reports are a nuisance. UTPD wants you to call every time, knowing that almost every time the situation will be found to be safe. 12/10/2018, at 5:10 a.m., 1700 block of the San Jacinto. Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle: An officer patrolling near the Dell Seton Medical Center observed a vehicle driving the wrong way on a one-way street. Things got worse from there as the driver didn’t have a driver’s license or insurance on her, identifying herself with only a prison inmate ID. Things got worse from there as the vehicle was stolen, the driver also had stolen credit cards, and had drug contraband. Law enforcement treat stolen vehicles as dangerous encounters, but fortunately this situation was resolved peacefully, with the stolen property impounded to be returned to its owner, and the driver arrested for Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle. *The University of Texas Police Department responded to 722 total calls for service, including 263 Alarm Activations, 130 Foot Patrols, 58 Traffic Violations, and 11 Welfare Concerns between Sunday 12/9/18 and Saturday 12/15/18. This week's Campus Watch was prepared by: Officer Dustin Farahnak.
