Keep Thieves at Bay

It is an unfortunate reality that college students are easy targets for thieves. Students are typically careless about securing their dormitories and apartments, and while the students themselves may be strapped for cash, their living areas are usually stocked with flat screen televisions, laptop computers, iPods, and a wealth of textbooks. Yes, even the cumbersome textbooks that you use to study for organic chemistry are highly prized items for a college campus thief. But there are ways to protect yourself from becoming a victim of theft.

Theft is one of the top crimes that occur on college campuses. Students too often think of their school stomping grounds as a safe haven, but that is simply not true. The reality of crime permeates even the most fortress-like defenses of universities. One of the reasons why students are regularly targeted is because many are careless when it comes to securing their living quarters. Some never lock their doors out of forgetfulness and others prop their doors open because they are too lazy to fish the keys out of their pockets again when they return. This is a dangerous thing to do. You should never leave your door unlocked if no one else is in the room, even if you are just running down the hall to grab a quick vending machine snack. It only takes a thief a few seconds to creep into your room and swipe your laptop, and unfortunately, even fellow students can be perpetrators.

When you leave your room, you should also make it a habit to keep your valuables out of public sight. You could hide your laptop every time you leave, but this is hardly necessary. All you need to do is shut your windows and close your blinds. If you leave your blinds up and passersby can peer in and see that you have a nice Macbook, flat screen television, and Nintendo Wii, you will more likely attract the attention of a thief. Thieves do not like to root around for valuables, so they typically strike places where they know there are goods to be had. If your blinds are closed, the thief does not know if you actually have anything inside to steal so they are less likely to break in. The same precaution should be applied to valuables inside your car. Hide your textbooks, external hard drives, and other possessions under an old sweat shirt or inside the trunk. The last thing you want is to return to your car and find the windows smashed in and your things gone.

With these precautionary measures, you will dramatically decrease the chances of becoming a victim of theft during your college career. After all, you will already have a lot on your mind as you study. Don’t let robbery add to your stressors.