DAYBREAK - To Prevent Thievery

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1st appeared 04 December 2000

To Prevent Thievery

The number of reported campus thefts is down this year, but the UCSF Police Department offers members of the campus some simple tips that can reduce the number of thefts even more.

Thievery is the number-one crime at UCSF; however, the campus has managed to cut the number of thefts by 31% in a year. In the first 10 months of 1999, there were 400 reported thefts totaling more than $533,000 in personal or department losses at UCSF. By the end of October of this year, there have been 279 reported thefts, totaling $215,000, according to the campus police department.

Computer thefts are down this year -- from 68 thefts ($177,000 of equipment) at the end of October last year to 36 thefts ($58,000 of equipment) at the same time this year.

Police say the majority of thefts occur during the daylight hours when the campus' population is at its peak. In most instances, thieves enter buildings unobserved and without forced entry.

The campus police department offers the following precautions to safeguard property:

Do not leave your wallet and purse out in the open or in unlocked desks and cabinets.

Do not bring valuables to the campus that cannot be easily replaced.

Lock your office door when you leave, even if you will be gone for a short while.

Exchange information with your campus neighbors about your schedules and watch your neighbors' rooms and work areas.

Create a watch program on your floor and work with other occupants to monitor offices, patient rooms and property.

Be alert to suspicious persons. A suspicious person includes someone you do not recognize going from room to room; who may be standing in the hallway for a long period of time as if waiting to get into a secured building; or who may be in a waiting room without an apparent reason to be there.

When encountering someone suspicious immediately contact the UCSF Police or Hospital Security. Be prepared to describe the person and the suspicious activity that he or she is engaged in.

When you come in contact with a person you feel does not have legitimate business in an area, you may ask, "Can I help?" This could provide service and deter criminal activity.

The following phone numbers should be kept handy: UCSF Police Emergency, 9-911;

UCSF Police (Non-Emergency), 476-1414; UCSF Crime Prevention, 476-8901; Hospital Security Services, 885-7890.

Links:

UCSF Police Department

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