In the first three weeks of classes, there have been 14 reported cases of theft or burglary on campus, continuing a trend of heightened theft rates on campus according to Department of Campus Safety (DCS) Crime Prevention Officer Stephen Banet.

The thefts have occurred throughout campus and have mostly included computers, wallets and cellphones, Banet said. Thefts have also included four bicycles and two parking passes stolen from out of a parked car.

“The majority of thefts were all faculty or staff and were items taken out of offices,” said Banet.
The theft reports also include two instances of burglary, including one case at the Sigma Chi fraternity house and another at the Daniels College of Business.

“It seems like every year at the beginning of the year we get hit,” said Banet. “It’s like criminals notice when students return to school and commit their crimes.”

Banet said many of the crimes have been cases where a personal item was left in the open or in an unlocked office while the owner stepped away, sometimes for several hours.

“A majority of these thefts were preventable,” said Banet. “People didn’t take the proper steps to secure their property.”

According to DCS crime logs, 14 thefts had been reported at this time last year. In 2012, 67 campus thefts were reported in total, a more-than 65 percent increase from the 39 reported on campus in 2011.
So far, this year doesn’t look to be much better. On Sept. 6, DCS issued a crime alert noting the continued theft on campus and encouraging university students and staff to remember to lock up personal items if leaving them unattended and to be mindful of where they leave personal items.

According to Banet, DU’s position as a high-traffic location, located off of University Avenue, Buchtel Boulevard, Evans Avenue and next to a light rail stop, makes it easy to access and vulnerable to crime.

“I suspect the majority of these are people from the outside coming to campus,” said Banet. “It’s easier for people to get to campus.”

DU has previously had repeated thefts from people unaffiliated with the university, including Mark Moore, who stole at least five wallets in fall of last year before being caught by DCS in December.

“Our officers are walking through buildings and talking to people,” Banet said about the DCS response to the high theft rates.

However, he said the most important thing people can do is be attentive to where they are leaving items which may be stolen.

He encourages students and staff to use lockers for storage if they are available, and to lock study rooms or offices if leaving them even temporarily.

“I would encourage for staff and students…if they see someone who doesn’t feel right, to call us right away,” said Banet.

Anyone who experiences theft or witnesses a potential crime can call DCS at 303-871-3000.