NORTH CAROLINA COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM STUDENTS APARTMENT http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/15765046.htm

UNCC crime report indicates spikes

Thefts, robberies, sexual assaults on or near university campus

APRIL BETHEA
abethea@charlotteobserver.com
During the day, UNC Charlotte junior Mandeep Gill said he feels pretty safe walking around campus.

But at night, the communications major usually has a group of four or five friends with him.

"I'm a 200-pound, 5-foot-11 guy and I don't feel safe walking around by myself," said Gill, 21, from Mooresville.

Gill said a recent robbery at his off-campus apartment and the school's recently released crime report have added to his anxieties.

The report shows a spike in reports of thefts, robberies and sexual assaults on or near UNCC's campus in 2005. It included those incidents reported to university and Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.

The report doesn't tell how many reports led to convictions.
Among the incidents reported:

• Six reported rapes and sexual assaults in 2005, compared with none in 2004. Four of the assaults happened in a residence hall and the victim and accuser knew each other, officials said.

• Larceny and theft reports rose to 286 last year from 226 in 2004. Sixty-six of the reports came from off campus, compared with one a year earlier.

• Ten robberies occurred in 2005, including six off campus, compared with two total the previous year.

UNCC Police Chief Marlene Hall said colleges across the country have seen an increase in crimes during the last year and the number of incidents on UNCC's campus is on par with other schools. "But that doesn't mean we let our guard down," she said.

Hall said she thinks many crimes could be prevented if people on campus followed some safety rules: Walk in groups or use a campus escort. Don't talk on your cell phone while walking at night. Lock your dorm or apartment doors.

University and city police are stepping up efforts to teach students, faculty and staff steps they can take to be safe.

Earlier this semester, both agencies ran lemonade stands to attract students walking onto campus and also went door-to-door at nearby apartment complexes to distribute safety literature.

UNCC officers also have given talks to classes and organizations about the resources the department offers.
Tuesday, an independent group will visit UNCC to discuss crime prevention, and Hall said she's asked them to look specifically at off-campus safety.

Gill said he and his roommates have become more alert after someone stole two computers from his apartment. It happened around lunchtime when they left their doors unlocked for about 20 minutes between classes.

He said the group keeps doors locked now, and may buy an electric lock that will buzz when someone enters the apartment.

Overall, Gill said he thinks the university is making a good effort to help students stay safe, but thinks, perhaps, they could do even more, including possibly only allowing those with a university ID to be on campus at night.

He said students, too, should help by walking in groups, avoiding dark walkways and knowing where emergency phones are located.

"We come here to learn," he said. "And it's hard to learn when you can't even walk to the library at night."

UNCC Crime Report

UNC Charlotte's annual crime report is available at www.police.uncc.edu under the link "Annual Reports."