Photo Illustration by MANDY WHITING Backpacks left outside of lockers are an easy target for thieves.

By Robert Salonga

Daily Bruin Staff



Freshmen and transfer students busy learning UCLA’s 8-clap should be aware of a campus problem that might not steal their school spirit, but their wallets instead.

Campus crime is a regular occurrence at large universities like UCLA, where daytime population can reach 70,000, according to university police.

“We’re open to the general public and anyone can come on campus,” said Nancy Greenstein, community services director for UCPD.

In 2000, UCPD received 1,057 reports of theft, making it the most common crime committed at UCLA. This number excludes automobiles and bicycles, which are counted separately.

Among the most common items stolen are laptop computers, cellular phones, backpacks and parking permits.

  Original Graphic by VICTOR CHEN/Daily Bruin Web Adaptation by MIKE OUYANG/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Police said many thefts occur when owners leave their property unattended.

“In some cases, students in the library will leave their laptop behind, assuming that it will be there after they go the rest room or take a break,” said Robert Sadeh, crime prevention officer for UCPD. “It also happens in the residence halls, where students will go away for a while, leaving their doors propped open or unlocked.”

For added protection, students may register their computers into the Security Tracking of Office Property program, otherwise known as STOP, which embeds a highly pressurized identification plate onto a computer. It can then be tracked through an international database, and the tag cannot be removed without damaging the computer.

UCPD also received 54 reports of stolen vehicles in 2000. Grand theft auto, which occurs almost on a weekly basis, police said, is due in part to the existence of approximately 22,000 parking spaces throughout the campus.

“We park more cars than Los Angeles International Airport,” Greenstein said.

Though this gives criminals a large selection of automobiles to choose from, Sadeh said using common sense can greatly decrease automobile theft. He said students should check that they’ve locked car doors, and that items of value are not in plain view.

Besides thefts, UCLA has its share of violent crimes. Of the 29 violent crimes – including rape, robbery and aggravated assault – that occurred on and around campus in 2000, six of the eight rapes reported were acquaintance rapes, in which the victim knew her assailant.

Tina Oakland, director of the Center for Women and Men, said women are often concerned with preventing stranger attacks, though 80 percent of rapes on college campuses nationwide are committed by individuals they know.

“Students need to think beyond the traditional stranger rape, because statistically, acquaintance rape is more likely,” she said.

Because correlations exist between alcohol use and sexual violence, Oakland said, students must monitor their consumption and not leave their drinks unattended.

Assailants place drugs like rohypnol or gamma hydroxybutyrate – commonly known as GHB – in potential victims’ drinks, which leaves them unable to resist sexual advances. Oakland said men must also be cautious because perpetrators have been known to drug the men accompanying their victims.

To prevent assaults in areas such as the “rape trail” – a poorly-lit dirt path that extends from behind Saxon Suites to the Westwood apartments – Sadeh said students should take notice of their surroundings and walk with a friend at night.

“Walk in well-lit areas, and don’t take shortcuts in areas that are hidden and dark,” he said.

Community service officers offer free escort services from campus to a student’s residence hall or off-campus apartment from dusk until 1 a.m. each night. In addition, an evening van service running week nights from 6 p.m. until midnight provides transportation to various locations on campus and surrounding areas.

Greenstein urged students who believe something suspicious is occurring or who feel unsafe to call police.

“Even if it turns out to be nothing, it’s OK. That way we can respond and check it out,” she said.

Sadeh said students who think they are a victim of a crime should report it immediately.

“Notify UCPD right away and utilize the resources of the police department,” Sadeh said. “If it is fast enough, we can catch a lot of criminals.”

To report a crime, contact UCPD at (310) 825-1491. To request a CSO escort, call (310) 794-WALK.