With a mass exodus of students during the holiday season, dorms and apartments are vulnerable to break-ins. According to the Eugene Police Department, during each Thanksgiving and winter break, there is a rise in the number of reported thefts.
“Areas we get a lot of theft reports from are campus housing and other student residences,” EPD Property Crimes
Investigation Detective Johann Schneider said. “During this time of year, EPD sends out public service messages to remind patrols to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.”
As students stockpile gifts in the weeks to come, it is important to be extra cautious, Schneider said. EPD suggests making the residence look occupied by either leaving a light on or
setting a timer to turn on electronics such as a radio. Schneider suggests notifying a neighbor of any vacation plans and to possibly ask them to check in on the house during a long absence.
“Only ask a close friend, not an acquaintance,” Schneider said. “Crimes aren’t only committed by hardened thieves. Sometimes people can be crooks of opportunity.”
The off-campus student complex Duck’s Village is planning to continue its year-round EPD patrols while students are away for breaks. Officers routinely patrol the area for suspicious activity, which is a service the complex pays for, said Lorie Doan, Duck’s Village office manager. Doan said no break-ins have been reported this school year, although, as Schneider explained, such residences are prone to break-ins because of the high number of cars and students in the area.
“We try and keep the students who live here as safe as we can,” Doan said.
Another crime that often spikes in the holiday months is car break-ins. For that reason, EPD stresses the importance of hiding items bought while shopping: Nothing valuable should ever be left in a vehicle, including checks, credit cards and store receipts.
Access to receipts can lead to identity theft and easy returns for cash, making car break-ins a “goldmine” for identity theft, according to the news release.
Schneider suggests that any purchases left in a vehicle between shopping trips should, at the very least, be covered with a blanket. This is also true for gifts left in apartments or dorm rooms – too many exposed treasures in one room can attract extra attention from a thief and make a break-in much more likely.
If a break-in does occur, EPD advises not to enter the residence because the intruders may still be inside. Instead, leave the area and call police.
Although more than 1,600 thefts were reported in Eugene last year, EPD officials said that by preparing a residence for a long absence, the chances of being victimized can be reduced.
“It doesn’t hurt to try every little thing you can to avoid theft,” Schneider said.
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