The thief or thieves who kicked in the window of University graduate student Jason Didion’s house Saturday night were quick, but stayed long enough to swipe a computer, a bicycle and a pile of jewelry.
“It was basically the three most expensive items they could find in the house,” Didion said, adding that sentimental items, such as heirloom silver, were stolen as well. “I don’t think they were here very long, but it seems like a lost cause to me.”
Didion represents a small sample of victims in a recent upswing in crime in the West University Neighborhood, said Randy Ellis, a Eugene Police Department officer who works at the neighborhood’s public safety station.
Didion’s house was broken into. His neighbor, Zach Davis, had an intruder who left without taking anything. But most of the recent increase in criminal activity has been smaller crimes, Ellis said.
“What we’re getting more of is the minor thefts,” Ellis said. “Bicycle thefts are up, and thefts from vehicles are up.”
According to EPD reports, property crime in the West University Neighborhood decreased by 8.24 percent between 2002 and 2003, from 1,116 property crimes to 1,024. But car theft increased by 30.51 percent, from 59 to
77 incidents, and accounted for more than 8.5 percent of Eugene’s total car theft for 2003. Vandalism increased by 6.17 percent, from 162 incidents to 172 in 2003, constituting 8.6 percent of Eugene’s total.
Ellis said stemming the theft problem isn’t an option with current EPD staffing levels, because officers would have to stake out areas they suspect for theft, which is often a waste of time. But there are steps students can take to protect their bikes and other belongings. Often, minor crimes occur because students relax their guard too much, he said.
“Most kids don’t do it (protect their belongings),” Ellis said. “They’re in a hurry. They’re not thinking about it.”
West University Neighbors Chairman Drix Rixmann said when he hands out fliers for neighborhood meetings, every third or fourth person he speaks to has a story about someone they know who has had their property stolen. Rixmann said many of the recent crimes could have been stopped with a little proactive thinking.
“A lot of these don’t have to happen,” Rixmann said. “Many places are unprotected, insecure and unsafe.”
Rixmann said students sometimes forget to lock the doors and windows on their houses and cars or don’t notice windows that are open or that have insecure frames. He said students should also lock their bikes up, including the tires, and shouldn’t leave them out longer than necessary. Mostly, he wants people to keep their eyes open and their heads up, he said.
Ellis said students should be careful not to leave items such as compact discs, backpacks and textbooks visible in their cars.
“Making it harder and forcing a thief to take longer than they want to to get it” can deter a person from trying to take a bicycle or break into a car, Ellis said. “If you can make
it harder, you probably won’t be
the victim.”
Didion said he and his roommates had never wondered whether the windows in the back of their house near East 14th Avenue and High Street were secure, but they realized after they were robbed that motion-detecting lights or other deterrents might have helped prevent it.
“If someone wants to get into your house, they will,” Didion said. “But you can make it more difficult.”
He said his landlord plans to install bars over their windows to prevent futures thefts, a security feature that will work whether it’s light or dark outside.
While Eugene police used to suggest parking cars and bikes in well-lit public places, the time of day no longer seems to prevent theft, Ellis said. He said thieves are quick enough and skilled enough to take bicycles and cars in plain view.
Rixmann said a friend’s landscaping truck was recently stolen in the neighborhood around noon. When it was found, nearly everything had been stripped out of it, and his friend’s tools were missing. Didion’s house was robbed in the evening, shortly before 7 p.m., and only two of his roommates had renter’s insurance to cover the losses.
Rixmann said community members will discuss crime prevention at the next West University Neighbors meeting on March 3. He said that if the neighborhood bands together to become a “more connected community, more good and less bad will happen.”
“By definition, our neighborhood is an easy target, because everyone here is a student,” Rixmann said. “They aren’t used to having to watch their own back door. But it goes with freedom — you have to keep your eyes open.”

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