www.brevard.edu/clarion
Volume 78, Issue 18 Web Edition SERVING BREVARD COLLEGE SINCE 1935
Feb. 1, 2013
Crime awareness must be raised
By Patrick G. Veilleux
Editor in Chief
Two suspects were arrested on Sunday, Jan.
27 with charges for car break-ins in the area.
Given the recent thefts from both offices and
vehicles, people may be wondering if these
suspects are responsible for the thefts around
campus. It’s too soon to tell, but it’s smarter
to err on the side of caution. A reasonable
assumption is that there are other thieves
out there.
BCE Lab Instructor Ralphene Rathbone
said, “I don’t think these two are responsible
for the break-in at my house; I don’t think
they’re responsible for my wallet. I certainly
think they’re still out there.”
At the end of the fall semester, Rathbone’s
office was broken into. Following the theft of
her wallet, the burglars broke into her home
and cleared out several thousand dollars
worth of personal items. Insurance will cover
a great deal, but some of the lost items were
emotionally priceless family heirlooms.
“I’ve lived here for fourteen years and I’ve
never had these problems. I think we are only
being made aware of more now,” she said.
“Once this kind of thing has happened to you
and you start talking with other people you
find out how many more people have had it
happen to them. More than a few of them have
moved as a result.”
Members of the community have become
concerned that the college is an easy target
for off-campus criminals. Rathbone believes
this is because of how often students, faculty
and staff leave cars and offices unlocked.
She said “These thieves are crawling through
open windows.
As a college community, we’re not putting
in the individual effort to keep this from
happening. When doors are closed, they need
to be locked. We all have the belief that ‘oh
this couldn’t happen to me. ’ I thought that too
until it happened, and I lost so much. They
didn’t miss anything in my house; they were
thorough.”
Now is an important time for the BC
Community to work with Campus Security.
If you see someone suspicious walking
around, don’t be skittish about calling it in.
Our security group’s number is posted around
campus, it is 828-577-9590. Rathbone has
said that the suspects from the investigation
seemed to be 17 or 18, and she has given the
authorities a more complete description.
Pj
KEVIN A. HARMER
GHAflLES "CJ" MODRE
Harmer and Moore are the men who were arrested in connection to vehicular crimes across
the Brevard community.