li$iijii.: t 16BThe Daily Tar HeelThursday, June 28, 1990 INIIDEMT OF V Common sense, caution help students fight campus c By CHERYL ALLEN and MARA LEE 11 Start Writers V-The calculus midterm, 24 chapters of British literature, parking space shortage, rising tuition, loud roommate arid ... campus crime? 'Students have so many other con cerns that they often forget to protect their personal property, making them easy targets for thieves. From book theft to auto vandalism, crime on campus threatens students more than they realize. Statistics show that college students are more frequently victims of property crimes than violent crimes. About 90 percent of approximately 600 crimes reported to the University pol ice in 1 988 were theft-related crimes such as rob bery, breaking and entering, vehicle theft and larceny. Most thefts occur when a student "Leaves a backpack lying on a rock wall, on a table in the library, beside a basketball court in the gym," said Sgt. Ned Comar, crime prevention special ist who retired from the University po lice this spring. Robbery is even more predominant in residence halls. "In every incident that I've had, the room was unlocked," said Wayne Kuncl, director of the housing department. "The room is usually vacant." Money, wallets, purses and jewelry are usually the targets, he said. The situation is similar the University of Florida at Gainesville (UF), which has a student population of approxi mately 30,000. Out of roughly 1,400 crimes reported at UF in 1988, 1,200 were robberies. Angie Tipton, spokesperson for the campus police at UF, said "crimes of opportunity" are the norm. A thief ap prehended at UF told Tipton it takes only eight seconds to enter a room, steal EASTGATE r SHOPPING CENTER I Chapel Hill, NC 275141 Mon.-Thurs. 10 am-9 pm I J WWM3 I ...UL . ... Willi Look tor our New Location I this Summer at The OLD 942-1 71 VISA. 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AVAILABLE FROM 4 - MIDNIGHT AT THE FRANKLIN STREET PIZZA HUT ONLY. 1 1 0 WEST FRANKLIN STREET 929-3605 D1XE IN ONLY NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER OFFER 1 AaUNC 1 Club m TT W M ITT TO fir II 8l i m m 3 1 II It m II m M PI si I8SH ii A- Go take a hike or climb a rock camping windsurfing backpacking kayaking OR GO canoeing X country skiing caving hang gliding ii p m m M i m m m m I I m m R - i I i i m H P Beginners are encouraged to participate! MEETINGS EVERY THURSDAY 7:00 pm 205 & 206 Union 1st Meeting August 30th for more info: 962-1013 or 929-0609 after 5pm m m lis 8S8 small valuables and exit. About 75 percent of crimes at UF are comm itted by non-students, Tipton said. Library theft is another popular cam pus crime. According to Tipton, "We try to get students to be aware that book bags are a big commodity for thieves. Students today have a tremendous amount of credit cards, and they (thieves) know that." But theft isn't the only crime on campus, UNC Student Legal Services (SLS), which gives advice to students on legal matters, sees many criminal cases. "We see a lot of DWI (Driving while impaired), indecent exposure, larceny, arson communicating threats and harassing phone cal Is," said Dorothy Bernholz., attorney and director of SLS. Fake IDs also have become a big problem since the drinking age was raised to 21 in 1986, Bernholz said. "That's probably the trendiest crime." Students are arrested for a variety of offenses, including shoplifting, alcohol related offenses, assaults and fighting, said Jane Cousins, Chapel Hill police planner. A few students have been ar rested for rape, she said. Most of the students are first of fenders, she said, but that makes no difference to police officers. "They have committed a crime. We treat them the same whether it was a first offense or not," Cousins said. Although serving time in jail is rare on a first offense or a misdemeanor, students have gone to jail for more serious drug charges, Bernholz said. Students often are the culprits in in cidents of vandalism and theft of Uni versity property. According to Comar, "Vandalism has been done to elevators in high rises ... (Such vandalism) ruins the quality of life it costs everybody to replace this stuff." But students are frequently more concerned with crimes involving their own property. John Brock, a rising junior business major from Clyde, had his car window broken and Clarion car stereo stolen in fall, 1988. The car was parked in St. Thomas More Catholic Church parking lot overnight. Three months and $350 later, his car was back to normal, he said. "They tried to get my speakers and amplifier. That would've cost me an other $500." Joe Bedell, a rising junior speech communications major from Fayetteville, N. Y., had his stereo stolen in October while his car was parked for three hours at Townhouse Apartments. "I walked down to my car and there were two guys in the car behind mine complaining that their stereo had been stolen too," he said. Melissa Tuttle, a rising senior rec reation administration major from Stoneville, returned from Spring Break last year to learn that her Mazda RX7 had been stolen. She said she had lent the car to a friend, who left it overnight in Ram's Head parking lot. When he returned in the morning, the car was gone. It turned up three days later in the parking lot by the law school, but the dashboard was ripped, and the Alpine stereo was missing. "I was crushed," Tuttle said. "I felt violated." Tuttle was the victim of another theft when $20 was stolen from her room one night while she slept. That same night, her suitemate woke up to see a man rifling through her desk. The man fled when she saw him. "That's when we started locking our door," Tuttle said. Students often are slow to take re sponsibility for the protection of their possessions, Tipton said. "Mom and Dad are taking care of all the security measures at home," she said. "They're on their own for the first time. A lot of our students have not been touched by crime, and they tend to have the feeling that crime can never happen to them.'1 Reporting a crime is the best re course for victims, Cousins said. "We can't solve it if it's not reported." Comar advised that students be as sertive in protecting their belongings. "Lock the door while sleeping," he said: Have a secure place to store small, valu able items, and keep it locked with a padlock. Keep your gym locker locked while in the shower. Lock your bike with a big, heavy cable. Don't put your stuff down." Rutledge Tufts, director of UNC Stu-; dent Stores, suggested that students keep a closer eye on their books. Tufts rec ommended that students mark their.' books on a certain page, in addition tQ.: writing their name or social security number on the book. Sexual assault rate H 'tl A 11 - M "tl juisjue it tuan stuaen expect in sma A IS OWH From staff reports The UNC campus is not as safe as many students believe, and many people must make their own safety a more serious issue, according to several ex perts and University officials. Kathleen Benzaquin, adviser to the Rape Action Project, said statistics in dicated this campus was less susceptible to rapes than city campuses, but in re- reported to the police or publicized said Lisa Lackmann, direct service! volunteer coordinator of the Orange. County Rape Crisis Center. "Many;,' people fear strangers, but there is ". bigger threat from classmates, boy friends and people they've just met.";.' Michell Bienvenu, publicity chatf-; woman and treasurer of the Rape Actioirt . Project, said most assaults were ndt ality this was not true. "We have an illusion of safety com pared to some city campuses, but we are actually more susceptible due to the casual attitude many people have about walking alone at night. Too many people feel like nothing is going to happen to them. They need to become more aware of their own safety." Acquaintance rape is more prevalent on campus than attacks by strangers, 'if.-- i1 i it'. i i WELCOME TO UNC & SHRUNKEN HEAD BOUTIQUE "How Sweet It Is To Be A Tar Heel" THE SHRUNKEN HEAD BOUTIQUE IS JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY! The Throw!! AFGAN PERFECT FOR YOUR DORM ROOM (For your Bed, Wall, Couch, Car Tailgate, as a Stadium Blanket or just to hug up to!) USES ARE LIMITED ONLY BY YOUR IMAGINATION! 2 s 5) 3 Also Available with University Seal Design! i ' I I Bows ' I r ! r'Q3 ' jlyj 1 '-' 1 11 1 -i The Ball is the Second Hand! Also available with Football! Help get to class on time with the Carolina Quartz $39.95 Watch. Melissa is ready for the games in her 2-pc. 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Signature ; Zip . PLEASE ADD 5M STATE SALES TAX TO TOTAL Postage And Handling Charges: 0-S20: $1.65 $35-$50: $3.85 $75-$ 100: $5.95 $20-$35: $2.75 $50-$75: $4.95 Over $100: $6.95 RUGBY SHIRT 1 00 cotton Carolina blue white stripes with Carolina em broidered on chest. Unisex sizes. ZS ZM ZJL ZXZ. $44.95 Z2X ' $49.95 1 ir7trf I j Mon. Wed. Frl.J-;unJ0-4jJlwre.-6; j Victims are often referred to the Rape- Action Project. ';. "There is a cloak of secrecy that, doesn't let the stories get out." The' amount of released information has iit creased this year, but more needs to t0 done to encourage people to report rape$ -she said. t Ned Comar, a retired University po lice officer, said the police were doing everything possible to maintain safety on campus and to encourage people to report unusual occurrences. "We are blessed by being one of the safest campuses of this size," he said. "Campuses such as (N.C.) State and Duke have worse problems." According to a 1988 survey con ducted by a geography student, the three main areas of the UNC campus students fear most are the Arboretum, the Bell Tower area and the Big Woods, Benzaquin said. These fears have had some impact because people rarely are seen in these places, she added. Benzaquin advised students to be cautious in these areas as well as in poorly-lighted parking decks and parking lots where attackers could easily hide. She encouraged people to take advantage of SAFE Escort and the L shuttle, which runs at night between the libraries and residence halls, instead of ; walking alone. Also, women should take self-defense . courses to prepare them to respond in dangerous situations, Benzaquin said." "They teach you how to yell and make you think about how to walk and look and respond." Comar said people walking alone should walk in an assertive manner and run and scream if a suspicious person is ' spotted. Based on statistics, the best thing to do is fight back if you are attacked, he said. Those who subm it are usually injured more severely and it takes them longer to recover both: physically and emotionally. Lackmann recommended that people trust their intuitions and avoid situations ' with people with whom they feel un comfortable. "It's okay to say no to people and make a scene if you are being harassed," she said. On first dates, it is a good idea for; women to let others know where they are going or invite other people along, depending on their lifestyle, she added.

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