Students Living Off Campus Targetd By Burglars

Imagine going to sleep late at night and waking up the next morning to find that many of your possessions are missing and that your home has been broken into. It's not quite an epidemic that's plaguing every University in the United States but in some areas it is a frightening reality.

Burglars mainly target student living in off campus housing due to the almost guaranteed selection of electronics they often own. The burglars end up stealing anything valuable they can get their hands on including laptops, televisions, iPods, video game systems and other electronics of value. So far this year incidents have been recorded in San Marcos, Texas, South Bend, Indiana, Seattle, Washington, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania among many others.

Police in these areas have offered advice to students who feel that they are targets for burglary:

• Set up security systems to discourage forced entries.
• Keep windows and curtains shut.
  
• Lock all windows and doors.
  
• Know your neighbors.
  
• Report suspicious activity in your neighborhood.
• Be wary of people offering to clean up cups after a party or shovel snow.
• Write down serial numbers for property so if stolen, police can identify and return it if recovered.

Below are links to stories about these types of crimes:

Philadelphia
San Marcos
Seattle
South Bend



Theft of property and burglaries are more common during the holiday season. Be safe, follow the advice of your local police force and know your neighborhood with SpotCrime.com.