With
campus crime down, students should
still be watchful
By Dylana Foy
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
Although campus crime has decreased in some areas, campus officials still warn
students to take as many precautions as possible when it comes to keeping their
belongings safe.
According to University Outreach and School Relations (UOSR), Cal State Long
Beach is the third safest California State University, behind CSU Humboldt and
CSU Channel Islands.
According to 2003 and 2004 crime statistics, there were no homicides, no hate
crimes and few sexual assaults; five sexual assaults were reported on campus
in 2003, and only one reported on campus in 2004. The No. 1 crime on campus was
theft.
Stan Skipworth, captain of the University Police Department, said students are
often in a hurry to get to class and can be unaware of their surroundings. Sometimes
students are in a rush and forget to lock their cars, and valuables in the car
are left in plain sight.
Skipworth suggests leaving valuables in your trunk or
not bringing them at all.
As enrollment at CSULB increases, CSULB continues to be the largest campus in
the California State University system and the second-largest public four-year
university in California, according to UOSR. With more students roaming around,
more personal belongings are available for thieves to steal.
Students carry an array of things with them such as folders, backpacks, laptops,
purses and iPods—all of which can be fair game for thieves. Skipworth recommends
students keep all belongings with them at all times.
For example, he said, a
student can leave for one minute to get a drink of water or say hi to a friend
and comeback to find their property gone. Students need to be aware of their
belongings before they become a victim, he said.
Aric Amberden, a computer science major, had his car burglarized outside his
dorm building in 2003. Amberden’s semester parking pass was stolen, but
he was lucky enough to not have anything else of value in his car.
Motor vehicle theft has gone down from 59 reported motor vehicle thefts reported
in 2003 to 55 reported thefts in 2004.
The University Police gives students several crime prevention tips to deter motor
vehicle theft. Use The Club, made of case-hardened steel, install a kill-switch
or get an alarm.
The University Police said using these types of devices or any
combination of the three will help deter motor vehicle theft, but it is not a
guarantee. They also suggest parking in lighted areas, making sure the vehicle
is locked, and placing personal property in the car out of sight.
Skipworth said in comparison to other universities, CSULB has a good track record
when it comes to crime, but students need to just be aware of their surroundings
and belongings.
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