Spring Break
Theft on campus minimal but often left unreported
Andrea Benda
Issue date: 3/13/08 Section: News
On this campus where people leave laptops unattended for hours and open cubbyholes store books, cell phones and purses during meal times, theft does occur occasionally, Director of Security Mike Wertz said.
"We are, honest to God, in a safe place," Wertz said. "[But] if you put this many people together in one place at one time, you will be having problems with theft. People like to take things that don't belong to them."
Thefts occur most often at the beginning and end of the school year, when students are moving in and out, and when the weather is nice and students leave windows open, Wertz said. He said there have been fewer than six reported thefts this year, and the number of such thefts has not increased on campus in recent years.
He said, however, he thinks some instances go unreported.
"People have to report it," he said. "If you report it, then we can react."
Wertz said students who think they have had something stolen should report the missing item to campus security, who can then help locate stolen items.
Likewise, without an official report, students cannot collect insurance money for stolen items, Wertz said.
The campus security office has piles of unclaimed books, clothes and other missing items that Wertz said might explain some items students think were stolen. The deans' offices and most campus buildings have their own lost and found systems, but Wertz said most valuable items come to the security office.
Getting the city involved
Wertz said when students report stolen items, he encourages them also to make a report to the local police, who have more resources to help recover missing items.
Director of Public Safety Chris Gutowski said the Hillsdale Police Department does not receive many theft reports from college students, although he was not able to give any statistics.
"It's a rarity," he said. "A lot of the stuff might be petty theft, so they don't report it [to us]. They might try to find it in house."
Gutowski said it was important for students to call the city police if they think someone has stolen "something of value."
"We treat these complaints just like any other in the city," he said.
Things are stolen at Hillsdale, sometimes
Although most students say they feel safe leaving valuables unattended on campus, some say they have had items stolen.
Junior Jason Stomps said his laptop was stolen at Delta Sigma Phi fraternity's Christmas sweater party in December. He reported the theft to campus security, but they did not retrieve the laptop.
Stomps said he suspects the thief was someone visiting from out of town, not a Hillsdale student.
Sophomore Chandler Galt said his Xbox was stolen when he left it in the Simpson Residence lobby overnight in fall 2006. He reported it to a Resident Adviser but not to campus security.
"It was my fault [for leaving it out all night]," Galt said. "I didn't make it a big thing […] I would leave stuff out in the lobby all the time and feel safe, so I was really surprised."
Galt said he suspects visitors who were staying in Simpson that night and "had caused some other trouble" had taken his Xbox.
A junior, who asked that her name be withheld, said her purse was stolen from an off-campus house in September.
She was at a small gathering of about 10 people, mostly her friends and two freshmen she did not know. She left her purse unattended to dance in another room, and when she returned, her purse was gone. She found some of its contents, including her driver's license and social security card, on the ground outside neighboring houses and Simpson.
She reported the theft to campus security but has not recovered it.
A trusting trend
Students said Hillsdale is unique in that people feel comfortable leaving their valuables unattended on campus.
"I'd imagine it's a lot safer [than other schools]," Galt said. "That's how I've always felt, like you can just leave stuff around. You see computers left all the time."
And students who have missing valuables said they are reluctant to think someone stole their items.
Junior Gary Gardner is missing his iPod but said he did not even consider theft. He said he thinks Hillsdale is unique in regard to theft. He lost his iPod at the Roche Sports Complex once, and someone returned it to the lost and found.
The library is notorious for unattended books, laptops, even cash, said Circulation Librarian Mary "Squeak" Barnett, who has worked at the library for 20 years.
"Laptops are out all the time, and cell phones, iPods," she said. "I found $40 in cash laying on a table once."
She said she tucked the two $20 bills under the laptop they were near so that no one would be tempted to take them.
Students have turned in as much as $60 in cash they have found on the floor, she said.
Barnett said prospective students and their parents frequently ask about the unattended laptops.
"They don't see that anywhere else," she said.
Barnett said it's a good thing students can be so comfortable in the library.
"Libraries are a place people make a home away from home - especially on a college campus - so they want to make it comfortable," she said.
"We are, honest to God, in a safe place," Wertz said. "[But] if you put this many people together in one place at one time, you will be having problems with theft. People like to take things that don't belong to them."
Thefts occur most often at the beginning and end of the school year, when students are moving in and out, and when the weather is nice and students leave windows open, Wertz said. He said there have been fewer than six reported thefts this year, and the number of such thefts has not increased on campus in recent years.
He said, however, he thinks some instances go unreported.
"People have to report it," he said. "If you report it, then we can react."
Wertz said students who think they have had something stolen should report the missing item to campus security, who can then help locate stolen items.
Likewise, without an official report, students cannot collect insurance money for stolen items, Wertz said.
The campus security office has piles of unclaimed books, clothes and other missing items that Wertz said might explain some items students think were stolen. The deans' offices and most campus buildings have their own lost and found systems, but Wertz said most valuable items come to the security office.
Getting the city involved
Wertz said when students report stolen items, he encourages them also to make a report to the local police, who have more resources to help recover missing items.
Director of Public Safety Chris Gutowski said the Hillsdale Police Department does not receive many theft reports from college students, although he was not able to give any statistics.
"It's a rarity," he said. "A lot of the stuff might be petty theft, so they don't report it [to us]. They might try to find it in house."
Gutowski said it was important for students to call the city police if they think someone has stolen "something of value."
"We treat these complaints just like any other in the city," he said.
Things are stolen at Hillsdale, sometimes
Although most students say they feel safe leaving valuables unattended on campus, some say they have had items stolen.
Junior Jason Stomps said his laptop was stolen at Delta Sigma Phi fraternity's Christmas sweater party in December. He reported the theft to campus security, but they did not retrieve the laptop.
Stomps said he suspects the thief was someone visiting from out of town, not a Hillsdale student.
Sophomore Chandler Galt said his Xbox was stolen when he left it in the Simpson Residence lobby overnight in fall 2006. He reported it to a Resident Adviser but not to campus security.
"It was my fault [for leaving it out all night]," Galt said. "I didn't make it a big thing […] I would leave stuff out in the lobby all the time and feel safe, so I was really surprised."
Galt said he suspects visitors who were staying in Simpson that night and "had caused some other trouble" had taken his Xbox.
A junior, who asked that her name be withheld, said her purse was stolen from an off-campus house in September.
She was at a small gathering of about 10 people, mostly her friends and two freshmen she did not know. She left her purse unattended to dance in another room, and when she returned, her purse was gone. She found some of its contents, including her driver's license and social security card, on the ground outside neighboring houses and Simpson.
She reported the theft to campus security but has not recovered it.
A trusting trend
Students said Hillsdale is unique in that people feel comfortable leaving their valuables unattended on campus.
"I'd imagine it's a lot safer [than other schools]," Galt said. "That's how I've always felt, like you can just leave stuff around. You see computers left all the time."
And students who have missing valuables said they are reluctant to think someone stole their items.
Junior Gary Gardner is missing his iPod but said he did not even consider theft. He said he thinks Hillsdale is unique in regard to theft. He lost his iPod at the Roche Sports Complex once, and someone returned it to the lost and found.
The library is notorious for unattended books, laptops, even cash, said Circulation Librarian Mary "Squeak" Barnett, who has worked at the library for 20 years.
"Laptops are out all the time, and cell phones, iPods," she said. "I found $40 in cash laying on a table once."
She said she tucked the two $20 bills under the laptop they were near so that no one would be tempted to take them.
Students have turned in as much as $60 in cash they have found on the floor, she said.
Barnett said prospective students and their parents frequently ask about the unattended laptops.
"They don't see that anywhere else," she said.
Barnett said it's a good thing students can be so comfortable in the library.
"Libraries are a place people make a home away from home - especially on a college campus - so they want to make it comfortable," she said.
Be the first to comment on this story