The Triangle

Issue date: 11/21/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Dave Hernandez

The Department of Public Safety has announced a "Protect your Valuables" campaign to make students more aware of unattended thefts on campus, according to Ed Spangler, director of Police Operations.

Spangler said 80 percent of total crimes in the Drexel Patrol Zone are thefts and 70 percent of non-retail thefts are attributed to unattended or improperly secured items.

"If it wasn't for thefts, total crime would be down 80 percent," Fred Carbonara, director of Public Safety said.

Before Drexel, Carbonara was at the University City District, which overlooked three campuses: Drexel, University of Pennsylvania and University of the Sciences of Philadelphia.

"It's an existing problem and has been since 2000," Carbonara said. "It's a crime of opportunity."

Carbonara said 10 to 15 percent of thieves are caught.

According to Robert Lis, assistant director of investigations for Public Safety, 99 percent of thefts occur when no one sees who took the item.

Spangler said thefts are easily prevented through awareness.

"We want students to know there is not a crime wave," Spangler said. "The mission is to make students more aware of their surroundings and to protect their valuables."

An example of thefts is in the library, where students leave computers out while using the bathroom, and then they are gone when the students return, Spangler said.

"We're working with USGA; they are volunteering their time to hang posters," Spangler said. "We're targeting everybody, not just freshmen."

Regarding items stolen, DPS does video reviews and will bring students in for interviews and to try to identify the thieves.

"We save tapes and print out photos," Carbonara said.

Currently, the department addresses students at orientation and open houses and will go and talk to anyone, according to Carbonara. Drexel also works with the University of Pennsylvania.

For bike thefts, Spangler said that if students use a "u-lock," it may not be 100 percent effective all the time, but it will stop the convenience criminals.

"A lot of times, items are stolen out of dorms; [students] should secure their property and lock doors behind them," Lis said.

Between Oct. 1 and Nov. 14 there were 51 thefts, 20 of which were bicycle thefts, according to Spangler.

With bikes and laptops, Spangler suggested that students keep a copy of their serial numbers on their laptops with the police and their register their bikes at the Drexel bike registration program.

Lis also said that if students see something suspicious, they should call public safety and let them know right away.

This article has been corrected.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools