Stolen property is one of the biggest crime-related problems on any college campus, and USC is no exception. Luckily, the USC Police Department has come up with many ways to prevent students from becoming victims.
Project ID enables any student or faculty or staff member to go online and register their personal property, as well as any property associated with the university. Individuals who want to go one step further and get their property engraved with a number, marking or anything else that would enable USC PD to recognize their item if it were to ever get stolen.
“It’s really important because every year that’s probably the biggest crime on campus, whether it be cell phones, or iPads or laptops,” said Lieutenant Gooding of USCPD. “Very important for us, as law enforcement, is we don’t have any kind of number, we don’t have the serial number, so there’s really no way we can retrieve it if it’s ever found.”
Bikes and mopeds are a huge issue right now, and Gooding urges students to register their bike or moped separately, as well as secure them with proper locking devices and lock them in the places designed for bikes and mopeds.
When it comes to other property, it is important for students to constantly keep an eye on their belongings.
“Even if [students are] in the library and they’re just walking to a different computer or walking to the restroom, they need to make sure they take all their belongings with them because they can be gone in a blink of an eye.” Gooding said.
Whenever possible, students should lock up their property. Gooding said that many students don’t worry much about the possibility of someone breaking into their dorm room on campus.
“A lot of times what happens is [students] have roommates and they don’t lock their main door. They just worry about locking their door to their bedroom, and they need to make sure they lock the main door as well because most people have TVs or property in the main room that they don’t even think about.” Gooding said.
USCPD also encourages students and staff to purchase Security Tracking of Property (STOP) Tags at the Russell House Information Desk for $20 to put on some of their most important belongings. These tags are plates that are placed on the bottom of laptops and iPads by USCPD and can’t be removed.
“If there’s a possible thief, that’s a good deterrent if they see that,” Gooding said.
When it comes to other crimes, the best strategy is stay in groups whenever possible. USCPD also offers self-defense classes for all females, and will speak to any group about safety or any specific issue they may be having an issue with. USCPD has given personalized talks on computer bullying and the effects of alcohol.
In general, Gooding reminds students to abide by the Stand Up Carolina rules by being there for classmates and other Carolina students. If you ever see a crime or anything suspicious occurring, call the USC police immediately.