News

String of petty crimes on campus focuses on technology

Personal effects left unattended; laptops easy targets for theft

The University of Wisconsin Police Department is urging students and faculty to take extra safety precautions on campus after a spike in thefts of personal property in recent weeks.

“Theft is our largest crime on campus,” UWPD officer Kristin Radtke said. “The last two years, theft has decreased a little bit, and just right now there seems to be an increase. How long that will continue, I just don’t know.”

Radtke said thefts are occurring all over campus with no point of concentration, though two thefts this weekend occurred at Memorial Union. She said most items stolen are pieces of technology like laptops.

At least one report concerned a laptop stolen from a faculty member’s office, Radtke said.

According to UWPD Lt. Eric Holen, 53 items have been reported stolen since the beginning of the spring semester, with an increase in the frequency of thefts visible in the past few weeks.

Holen confirmed most of the thefts have concerned student property, though classroom technology has also been targeted.

He added most are crimes of opportunity, and basic steps can be taken to prevent the vast majority of items from being stolen.

“People can do a lot of help reduce their risk. Keep lockable areas locked and keep property with you at all times,” Holen said. “I know it can be a pain if you just want to go use the restroom or get a snack, but I can’t tell you how many times we take a report and people say, ‘Oh, I was only gone for 5 minutes.’”

Jane Bannerman, a senior librarian at College Library, said students frequently leave belongings unattended in the library.

She said the library has taken measures in the past to raise awareness by leaving notes on unattended property, but it only worked to aggravate students.

“When we walk through study halls, we see stuff left out all the time,” Bannerman said. “It’s like Russian roulette. Most people are honest, but it just takes that one person who is looking to make some money.”