The start of a new semester is always a good time to take inventory of your personal belongings and to make sure you know what to do to keep your property safe.
Thieves are always looking for easy ways to steal. Follow these simple tips to help ensure you’re not a victim.
- Whether you live on or off campus, always lock your doors and windows. If you reside in a suite-style residence hall, lock your bedroom door. Burglars are looking for easy access, and locked doors will slow them down.
- Always lock the doors to your vehicle and roll up the windows. Most vehicle break-ins occur when vehicles are left unlocked.
- Don’t leave valuables in your vehicle, especially where they can be easily seen. Even if you store valuables in the glove compartment or trunk, thieves who get into your vehicle can steal your stuff.
- Never leave your vehicle running while you’re not in it. Even if you’ll just be out of the vehicle for a few minutes, a running vehicle is easy to steal.
- To help keep your bicycle from being stolen, secure your bike properly with a lock and chain. Make sure to secure both the front tire and frame to the rack as thieves often steal front tires from one bike and the rest from another. Register your bicycle with the University so if it is stolen and recovered, it can be identified and returned to you.
- Unattended items are easy to steal. Never leave your backpack, textbooks, laptop computers or mobile phones unattended in a public location, library, dining hall, classroom, recreation facility or restroom. Take your things with you, secure them in a locker or have a trusted friend watch them.
University police offer easy-to-use electric engravers for students to engrave identifiers on all items that might interest a thief, such as a bicycle, laptop or smartphone. Engravers can be checked out 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays from the University Police Center, 1110 Jackson Ave.
More information on how to protect your property and personal safety can be found in UAPD’s Safer Living Guide.
Safety Reminder: UA Alert System Test
Weather permitting, the University will test its emergency notification systems, including UA Alerts, the public address system and digital signage, Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 11:55 a.m.