Any student, particularly those who are living on campus, should be aware that larcenies and burglaries at Stony Brook happen on a consistent basis. This can be expected with a campus so large and a magnitude of people on campus at any given time.
However, students must feel a certain sense of comfort and trust as they often leave bags unattended and dormitory doors unlocked.
Before the Thanksgiving break, there were two burglaries in the Kelly Quad on Nov. 21. One incident took place in Schick College when the victim woke up to find his laptop and wallet stolen. The perpetrator entered the room between 6:30 and 7 a.m., while the victim slept. The victim’s suitemates heard someone trying the doors to see if they were secured, unfortunately for the victim, he had left his door unlocked.
The second burglary in Kelly happened in Dewey College where the perpetrator(s) entered the victim’s room though an unlocked window. This time the suspect(s) made off with approximately $5,300 worth of electronics. According to a police report, the victim mentioned that all of the doors were locked, however, he had had trouble locking the window the thieves had entered. The office of Campus Residences in Kelly Quad did not know that the student was having trouble locking his window before the burglary. Campus Residences however, did comment that if the student did put in a work order, someone within Campus Residences was aware of the issue.
Last Thurs., Nov. 29, three more larcenies occurred in the residence halls. The three incidents occurred in Eisenhower College, Baruch College, and Hamilton College.
The close proximity of the burglary sites, all in Kelly Quad, leads some University detectives to believe that there is a certain group of repeat offenders. The University Police have some leads with some of the cases and follow-ups are being made.
Also similar about the three crimes is that the doors were left unsecured, giving opportunity to the criminals. Most of the crimes that happen on campus are crimes of opportunity, said Assistant Chief Douglas Little of the University police. He believes that most thefts that happen on campus are done by members of the Stony Brook community. Keeping doors and windows locked is the best way to protect property and self, according to the department.
While many students feel at home and comfortable on campus and the University does not want overly cautious students, residents must be aware of their surroundings and certain, common risks.
In a telephone interview, Chief Douglas Little sees a two-fold problem on campus that leads to far too many larcenies and burglaries.
‘First, there are a small amount of bad guys,’ mentioned Little. ‘Second, and the larger problem, is that people are so comfortable that they don’t take basic responsibility and lock their doors.’
The University Police hope more students will take their safety more seriously and be more proactive about their protection.
‘Lock your doors and talk about safety,’ advises Little.
The University Police are willing to sit down and show anyone the proper safety precautions all should take on campus. Campus Residences sometimes setup meetings to inform students about safety during hall meetings.
Unfortunately, these meetings happen more regularly when there is a crime spree. The University Police remind the student body that they can call the department anytime to make an appointment to go over certain points of campus safety. This is especially important for students who live on campus and have many valuables stacked up in their dorm rooms.
Stony Brook is a relatively safe campus, considering the size of the university. However, students can never be too cautious when protecting themselves and their valuables. The first step in safety is to remember to keep the doors and windows locked and many would-be thieves will be deterred.
