Act against burglary: A rise in on-campus burglaries calls for a new approach

The past few years have seen a sharp rise in burglaries on UNC’s campus. In 2007, there were only two burglary-related crimes. This number rose to 36 in 2011.

The Department of Public Safety needs to create an action plan to deal with this increase as soon as possible.

But the department does not see this rise in on-campus burglaries as alarming, and it has no action plan in the works to deal with the rise, said Randy Young, DPS spokesman.

As the department is the main body on campus for protecting public safety, it should take a more proactive approach in identifying the cause of the rise in crime and respond accordingly.

Not too long ago, students worried about theft of only their laptop computers.

Now, they also need to worry about tablets and smartphones, which are much slimmer and easier to carry off without the owner noticing.

As expensive technology becomes more compact, it also becomes easier to steal.

The changing nature of theft necessitates new approaches by DPS to guard against it.

However, preventing theft also requires the vigilance of the student body.

Students should be aware of their surroundings — as well as of the available resources for protecting the safety of their belongings. Two ways to do this are locking doors and not leaving personal items unattended.

A common misconception is that 911-related calls should only be dialed for major crimes.

However, students should also report suspicious activity.

At the end of the day, it takes work from both students and those who protect the campus to ensure the safety of students — and their belongings.