In order to curb the increase in theft of silverware, cups, plates and bulk food items in the Nelson Hall cafeteria, Campus Dining and Housing and Residential Services have installed alarms on two of the three doors to the dining hall.

The alarms were installed at the start of spring quarter and are activated when the doors are opened. The result is a high-pitched siren that can only be turned off manually.

The problem of disappearing food and cutlery arose in part because of the way food is made available to students in Nelson Hall. Meals are set up as “all you care to eat,” allowing students the opportunity to return for more than one helping.

Sodexho staff noticed that many students began to take advantage of this policy and started removing dinnerware, loaves of bread and jugs of milk.

Dining Services estimates that in a given school year, over $5,000 in plates, silverware, cups and food are taken by students. Only about 10 to 15 percent of the total cutlery taken out of the dining area is returned.

“Some students are difficult to confront in stopping them from taking items out of the cafeteria,” said one Sodexho employee, who asked to remain anonymous.

The employee also noted that as more students start to eat outside on the patio because of spring weather, it will become even more difficult to stop them from abusing dining hall policies regarding taking items.

Since the beginning of the school year, information had been posted at all of the entrances stating that removing anything besides the occasional apple or bagel from the dining hall was prohibited.

Some students are frustrated by having to deal with the alarms, although many understand why this new policy has been put into place.