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This brick was thrown through student Wendy Luke's window when someone broke into her car to get a purse sitting on the seat. Mary Grace Cary [Click to enlarge]

Although ABAC is a relatively safe college campus, crimes do still occur. One type of crime reported by students is the theft of their personal belongings. As the semester draws to a close, students are asked to be mindful of their surroundings to prevent such crimes from occurring to them.

Theft on college campuses ranges from textbooks being stolen to the more serious car and dorm break-ins. Because the bookstore buys textbooks back at the end of the semester without a receipt, anyone can return a book for money. This crime is simple to commit and hard to trace because of the availability of unwatched textbooks on campus. Students should keep their books with them at all times, and when not using the book, store it in a safe place where it is unnoticeable.

Car break-ins on the ABAC campus have declined in recent years, but are not unheard of. Several ABAC students have had their cars broken into off-campus this semester in Tifton and surrounding counties. According to one Valdosta police officer, cars are broken into as often as 15 times per week in the city of Valdosta and on the VSU campus.

"I had my car broken into [in Tifton] and my friends purse was stolen. It taught me to be careful of where I park my car, and that anything can happen," ABAC student Wendy Luke said.

According to ABAC Chief of Public Safety Bryan Golden, there are several things that students can do to prevent being victimized. One of the more obvious measures is to keep all valuables out of sight, since they may entice a thief to break into a car.

The majority of cars are broken into for car stereos and purses left in view. Golden suggests taking valuables out of the car, hiding them under the seat, or locking them in the trunk of the car.

If a student does become the victim of a break in, they should call the police immediately and leave everything the way it is. According to Golden, the worst thing to do is touch anything in the car.

"It's important not to touch anything, simply because there may be some physical evidence that you can't see," Golden said.

Physical evidence, such as fingerprints, is one way of identifying a suspect, but it is not as easy as it looks on television. Fingerprints can only be lifted from certain materials with smooth surfaces. A brick or cinder block, for example, has a rugged surface and a print from it would be unreadable.

Golden also added that one precautionary measure that a student may take is to write down all important numbers, such as ATM, credit card and bank account information, in case anything is stolen. Writing these numbers down and storing them in a safe place prior to ever being burglarized is one way to ensure that if a crime does occur, a student can call and have their cards canceled immediately.

Keeping students safe is the top priority of ABAC Public Safety. They patrol the campus 24-hours a day. Public Safety is also linked with the Tift County Police Department as another way to be aware of anything going on. If a string of break-ins or other offenses are taking place in the county that could eventually occur on campus, Public Safety can alert students.

According to Golden, one of the best ways for students to stay safe is to watch what is going on around them. If a student sees anything suspicious, or just doesn't feel right about something, they should contact Public Safety who will come and check everything out.

"We can't be everywhere. If you see something going on that you think needs to be addressed, don't hesitate to give us a call," Golden said.

In case of an emergency, students can contact Public Safety at 386-3274, or call 911.

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