What To Do if You’re a Victim

If you regularly leave your door unlocked for even 5 minutes, you will eventually become the victim of a crime. Hopefully it will only be a small theft and not an assault. Most people are assaulted in their own residences; most items that are stolen on campus are from unlocked Residence Hall rooms. During Spring Semester 1999, four subjects made a living off students who left their Residence Hall rooms unlocked for only a minute or else while they slept. These victims had VCRs, CDs, stereos, TVs, computers, video games and systems, money, etc. stolen — all because they did not practice the easiest method of crime prevention that exists: locking your door. If you go to the bathroom or visit a friend or walk down the hall, please lock your door.

Whenever you see someone doing something suspicious, report it to your R.A., your R.D., or the Police. Just because someone lives in your residence hall does not mean that person cannot commit a crime. Someone who opens your room door, pokes his head in, and claims to be looking for someone you’ve never heard of might actually be hoping to find an unlocked room with no one inside. That’s how most items in residence hall rooms get stolen, and it only takes a few seconds. If you see someone walking through the parking lot looking in cars or trying car door handles to see if vehicles are unlocked, report it. You might prevent a car from being broken into. Watch for persons pulling fire alarms: some people use this opportunity to go into rooms and steal items. The smell of marijuana coming from a room is a fairly unique type of smell; it should be reported.

If you lose your key to your room, report it to your R.D. and to the GSU Police. While it is your decision, consider having your room door’s lock changed so no one who finds your keys will have access to your room.

In a crisis situation it is important to remember telephone numbers. The GSU Police (912-478-5234) will respond to problems only if they know there IS a problem. They might not know if you don’t call them. And don’t forget that 9-1-1 emergency services are available in Bulloch County. Remember: to get an outside phone line on some campus phones you must first dial a “9”; this means that on those phones you must dial “9-9-1-1” in order to connect with an emergency dispatcher.

Treat all fire alarms as if they are real. Fires can and do occur in campus buildings. Know where fire extinguishers are located, and be prepared to use them; however, don’t try to be a hero. If a fire has started consider your safety and others first before trying to fight a fire. Learn the best way to exit your building in case of fire and consider alternate routes in case fire has your main exit blocked. Most people die in fires because of smoke inhalation rather than of burns. Smoke from fires can be extremely dark and blinding. Plus there is more breathable air closer to the floor; you may need to crawl out of your residence hall in order to escape.

The problem with letting your guests wander the halls unescorted is twofold: They can get into trouble and you can get into trouble. If your guests happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time there can be problems. On campuses across the country there have been cases of male guests (yes, even boyfriends) intentionally peeping into the women’s bathrooms and going into other women’s rooms. Even if you completely trust your guests you’ll know they don’t accidentally go the wrong place if you escort them.

The outside doors to the building are locked for one important reason and, no, it’s not to cause you grief by making you carry around another key. There are people on the outside who have no business being on the inside of Residence Halls. Yes, most people who want to come into Residence Halls (who are not residents) do not mean any harm, but how can you tell the difference between a harmless person and a potential attacker? There have been many incidents across the country where offenders of all types entered Residence Halls because doors were propped open for one reason or another. So the moral of the story is: for your safety, don’t prop open doors.

1. Lock Your Doors

• Always lock your doors, even if you’ll only be away for a short time.
• Many crimes occur because doors were left unlocked.
• Example: In 1997, a man targeted apartments with unlocked doors; even after police warnings, residents were victimized.

2. Install Deadbolt Locks

• Ask your landlord about installing deadbolts or see if you can install them yourself.
• For doors with nearby windows, use a deadbolt that requires a key on both sides.
• Plan ahead for fire escapes if you choose this type of lock so you can find the key quickly in an emergency.

3. Install a Peephole

• Add peepholes to all exterior doors.
• Do not rely on chain locks; they can make it easier for someone to push in the door.
• Always look through the peephole before opening the door or responding to someone.

4. Remember 9-1-1 for Emergencies

• In Bulloch County, you can dial 9-1-1 for police, fire, or medical emergencies.
• Be aware that not all areas have 9-1-1 services; know your local emergency numbers.

5. Replace or Install Outside Lighting

• Keep outside areas well-lit to deter crime.
• Replace burned-out bulbs promptly and repair any damaged fixtures.
• If lighting is inadequate, talk to your landlord about improvements.

6. Always Report Suspicious Persons

• Contact local police, the apartment security office, or your landlord if you notice suspicious activity.
• Authorities prefer to check out a false alarm rather than miss a preventable crime.

7. Install Solid Core Doors

• Talk with your landlord about replacing weak doors with solid ones.
• Hollow doors are weaker and easier to break or kick in.
• Solid core doors and metal frames provide greater protection.

Georgia Southern University Police offers a Walking Escort Service to help students get around campus without having to walk alone. Our department employs part-time students who work as Service Officers to conduct walking escorts anywhere on campus. Service Officers work six days a week (Sunday through Friday) from 6:00 P.M. until 2:00 A.M. If you need an escort other than these times, our department will dispatch a patrol officer to assist you. Call 912-478-5234 to get an escort.

At night avoid areas that are dark. Most of campus is well lighted, but you can find isolated places where no one is around if you really want to. Go with a friend if you’re out for a walk or a jog. You’re even less likely to be attacked if you’re walking a dog than being out alone. If you go into buildings on campus to study, take a friend along. Otherwise, look for well lighted rooms and buildings. The Henderson Library usually has plenty of room to study, and they have lots of computers.

Make a conscious effort not to leave your purse or your bookbag behind when you leave a room or a building. Keep your bookbag and books with you even if you have to go to the bathroom. Don’t leave unattended valuables laying about on study tables, desks, or in bookbags.

Half of cars that are victimized on campus have things stolen from them because they were unlocked or their windows were rolled down. ALWAYS lock your doors and roll up your windows even if you are going to be gone for only 15 minutes. If you have a vehicle that is difficult (or impossible) to secure (like a canvas top Jeep) don’t leave valuables in the vehicle. Even if you do own a vehicle that can be secured don’t unecessarily leave valuables in your car. Don’t leave spare keys on tires. If you have a car alarm utilize it every time you lock your car.

If you live on campus, ALWAYS lock your residence hall door when you leave even if it will be for just a minute. Thieves like to walk around and check doors at all times of the day and night for locks that are left unlocked. Don’t let strangers in a residence hall just because they are knocking on an exterior door. Immediately report a lost or stolen residence hall room key or an exterior residence hall door key so that a new one can be issued you. You may also want to have your room door lock changed.

If you see anything that just doesn’t look right to you, don’t be afraid to call the Georgia Southern University Police. It is much better for the police to come and find that there is nothing wrong than for a crime to occur. Sometimes offenders can be caught in the act because of the quick thinking responses of community members just like you!

Most bookbags, books, and purses are stolen when the owner leaves them laying out somewhere (like a table at the Library or next to a desk in a classroom) and walks off for a few minutes. If you are leaving a classroom or a study area TAKE YOUR VALUABLES WITH YOU even if you’re going to the bathroom. It only takes someone a few seconds to snatch your bookbag, your purse, or your books.

Even the most careful person can accidentally leave a bookbag or a purse behind. Make sure you do not carry unnecessary valuables around. Students have had computer disks (containing their thirty page paper or their final project) stolen because they were carrying them around in their bookbags unnecessarily. While computer disks are inexpensive, re-writing a thirty page paper is a pain.

Criminals steal books so that they can sell them back to bookstores and pocket some cash. All your textbooks should be marked in case they are stolen, so that you have a chance to locate them in campus area bookstores and get them back. turn to a page that you can remember (preferably NOT the inside cover of the book) and make a mark somewhere on the page in ink. The mark can be someone’s initials, your name, a drawing, some doodling — anything that might be fairly unique. In this way you can identify your books without reducing their value.

Sometimes when thieves steal bookbags or purses, the thieves pocket the books or money and throw away the bookbag or the purse in nearby trash cans. This can be important to victims because they may be able to recover their property (minus books, cash, etc.) if they check nearby trash cans. While it is bad to lose ANYTHING, it is worse to lose EVERYTHING.

Many times people do not think that just a couple of books would get stolen out of an unlocked car; they are wrong. Since most thefts are opportunity crimes involving small valued items, bookbags and purses are perfect targets for thieves interested in stealing from cars. Always lock your car doors and roll up your windows even if you will be gone from your vehicle for just a few minutes.