Students must use precaution to reduce vehicle crimes on campus

Even though vehicle related crime has seen a decrease on the USC campus within recent years, students still need to take preventative measures to protect themselves and their personal property.

According to the USC Law Enforcement website, there were 12 reported motor vehicle theft incidents in 2006, a marked decrease from 24 in 2001. Unfortunately, there is no further breakdown regarding vehicle-related crime, which belongs to the broad category of crimes against property. This includes larceny-theft (528 incidents in 2001, with 428 in 2006) and breaking/entering (16 in 2001 and 46 in 2006). While these statistics, overall, display a more positive trend, student awareness of such crimes remains critical in keeping them to a minimum.

The first and perhaps most obvious way students can avoid vehicle break-ins is to park in well-lit areas and as close to campus as possible. However, with recent parking congestion, this is often easier said than done. Therefore, as USC Law Enforcement Officer Kenneth Adams of Crime Prevention & Community Relations explains, the next best thing students can do is to keep all items in their car from plain view. Leaving items out in the open often provides the temptation needed to break and enter, and is what Adams cites as the “number one reason” for auto break-ins. While valuable gadgets like GPS systems, iPods, XM radios, and other pieces of technology are often primary targets, even seemingly innocuous items like clothing and text books can be stolen. “We’ve had problems with people taking books and selling them back to the bookstores,” Adams said.

Unfortunately, missing mp3 players may be the least of students’ concerns. Car jacking is also a reality at USC, and carries dangerous consequences. Officer Adams advises against going places at night, and to use the buddy system if being out late is necessary. “Have your keys in your hand, don’t hang out in the parking lot, and lock your car as soon as you get in it,” Adams explains. If there’s anything that he’s heard from experts and others, it’s to not let anyone take you anywhere. “If someone approaches you with a weapon, yell, scream, do whatever you can to attract attention,” Adams clarified.

While some vehicle-related crimes on campus can be costly or even dangerous, others are just frustrating. Many a student has experienced dents and scrapes from the careless parking of others, and such incidents can be difficult to resolve, particularly if the guilty party has fled the scene. However, recourse does exist in these cases. Students are advised to leave their car where it is in order for the police to inspect, and if they can’t wait, they can fill out a self reporting report of the damage to go on file.

In the event of these automobile emergencies, Officer Adams advised against students touching or moving the car. Adams also encouraged calling the University Police immediately to report any suspicious activity, suggesting that students program the number (911 or 777-4215) in their cell phones. Lastly, Adams recommends trusting your instincts: “Go with your gut if something doesn’t look right.”

An example of an incident that would require a self-reporting report.