VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON COMPUTERS STOLENFredericksburg.com - UMW hit with thefts of laptopsUMW hit with thefts of laptops
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Laptop thefts a growing problem at University of Mary Washington


Date published: 11/22/2005


By KATIE TELLER

University of Mary Washington sophomore Amanda Nutt usually locks her dormitory room door when she leaves.

But Friday, when she was going downstairs for a few minutes to lend her boyfriend her car keys, she didn't.

She should have.

Less than five minutes later, she returned to her room to find that laptop computer had been stolen.

Nutt isn't the only victim of laptop theft. In the past month, 11 laptop computers have been stolen from UMW residence hall rooms, according to campus police.

The police have issued campuswide e-mail warnings to students.

Police have gathered a description of a suspect from student reports: a male in his early 20s, of medium height and build and with an olive complexion.

Nutt, like most of the other victims of theft, had left her room unlocked and unoccupied only for a few minutes.

"Most of the times, these are crimes of opportunity," said Chris Porter, director of residence life. "The doors are open and the laptops are not affixed to anything."

All the laptops have been stolen from upperclassman residence halls. Though the outside doors to these buildings are always locked, there is an honor sign-in process, Porter said. This means that residents are on their honor to sign in and sign out their guests onto a book that's left in the lobby.

"Sadly, that's not often the way it works," Porter said. "People will generally let anyone in through the door."

While Porter said she wouldn't speculate whether the thief is a student or not, she did have advice for students.

"The single easiest thing that they can do to preserve any of their equipment, including laptops, is to lock their doors," Porter said.

She also mentioned inexpensive devices that will lock the computer to the desk.

Nutt, a sophomore from Culpeper County, said she will be using such a device when she gets a new laptop. Her family's homeowner's insurance will cover all but $500 of the cost.

Melissa Leggett and her roommate were both out of the room for five minutes Oct. 26.

Her roommate left to go to a 2 p.m. class at 1:50 while Leggett returned to the room from a class that ended at 1:50.

In the five-minute interim, both of their computers disappeared.

Leggett, a sophomore from Trumbull, Conn., and her roommate believe the thief is not someone attending UMW.

"We'd rather it be someone off campus than be one of the students who go to school here," Leggett said. "I think for the most part, people follow the honor system."

But Nutt didn't rule out the possibility of the thief being a student.

"I think it's a distinct possibility that he actually goes here," she said. "And that he got into so many dorms--I don't think if you were just a townie you could get in so easily."

According to Jim Shelhorse, Fredericksburg police spokesman, the laptops could end up in a pawn shop.

"They either pawn them or sell them," Shelhorse said. "I don't know what else they could do with them."

Larceny is the most frequently occurring crime at the University of Mary Washington, according to campus police statistics.

According to campus police crime statistics, 46 larcenies were reported in 2004. Of those, 29 occurred in nonresidential buildings. The remaining 15 reported took place in residence halls or campus apartments.

In 2003, 79 larcenies were reported. Forty-five occurred in nonresidential buildings, 33 were reported from residence halls, and one was reported to have taken place in a noncampus building.

In 2002, there were 46 larcenies, 29 in nonresidential buildings and 17 in residence halls.



To reach KATIE TELLER: 540/374-5000, ext. 5558

Date published: 11/22/2005