MICHIGAN COMPUTERS AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES STOLEN Central Michigan Life - iThieves: "iThieves
Electronic devices, MP3 players easy to steal

By Lindsay Henry
Senior Reporter

October 16, 2006

A new generation of iPods and the latest laptop computer aren’t just on students’ wish lists.

People who don’t want to pay to have one are just as excited.

MP3 players and other easy-to-carry electronic items are among items stolen in a recent rash of electronics thefts across campus and Mount Pleasant.

“There has definitely been an increase in theft, especially in the residence halls,” said Central Michigan University Police Chief Stan Dinius. “Since Aug. 24, 2006, we’ve had 10 laptops stolen.”

Laptop prices can range from a couple hundred dollars to more than $3,000, according to various computer company Web sites, meaning those 10 laptops could have been valued anywhere from $2,000 to more than $30,000.

Dinius said out of the 10 laptops, only one was recovered. There have been 13 theft reports on campus this year as of Oct. 3, according to CMU Police.

According to press logs released by the Mount Pleasant Police Department, two laptops, an iPod and an Xbox have been stolen in the month of October, amounting to an estimated $1,500 in property.

In May, the Microchips electronic store in the Bovee University Center lost $14,000 in stolen merchandise.

“The products stolen were mostly merchandise iPods, but there were a few laptop computers taken,” wrote Barry Waters, manager of the CMU Bookstore, in an e-mail to Central Michigan Life.

Size matters

Sam Prater, Detroit junior and campus representative for Apple Computer Inc., said size is a reason the music players are frequently stolen.

“They are so portable,” Prater said. “People carry them everywhere they go, which involve a lot of picking the device up and putting it down.”

Someone stole Johannesburg junior Jenny Brooks’s iPod in March after she left it in her friend’s car at a party.

“Life without my iPod was hard,” Brooks said. “I had many lonely walks to class without music.”

She called the police, who she said told her they would investigate the apartment building area.

Brooks called Apple, and officials told her they could not help her since she didn’t have insurance.

No insurance is offered for stolen iPods, Prater said.

An electronic theft trend

While iPods often carry a high price tag, even more expensive electronics recently have been disappearing at CMU.

Alecia and Kelsey Hukill left their laptop computers sitting on their residence hall room desks when they went home for a weekend. The desks were empty when they returned.

The Jonesville sophomores, who also are sisters, said their roommate was oblivious to what happened.

The police said they figured the computers were stolen in a matter of minutes when the sisters’ roommate went downstairs.

“It was frustrating,” Alecia Hulkill said. “We were freaking out because we had no idea how they (the thieves) got in. We thought someone was watching us.”

Protecting property

Insurance is one way to be safe from electronic theft.

Dinius said another way is to write down serial numbers so the police know what specific device they are looking for.

The best way to keep things safe is to keep doors locked, Dinius said.

“We need to get the message out to (students to) lock their door so people don’t have the access,” Dinius said. “In almost in all the theft cases, the property has been unattended and the doors have been open.”

And students may finally be listening, considering there hasn’t been a reported theft on campus in about two weeks.