Students should practice caution on campus

Earlier this week, students received an email alert from the Department of Public Safety warning that there were several instances of theft in Walsh Library. The notice explained that on late Sept.27 and early Sept. 28, three students reported missing credit cards, cash and even a social security card from their purses. In one instance, a female suspect followed a victim into the bathroom where she borrowed the victim’s phone to make a call. Later that day, the victim received a phone call asking for personal banking information. According to Public Safety, the suspects do not go to Seton Hall; rather, they waited on the third floor of the library to target potential victims. The nature of these thefts demonstrates that students need to constantly be aware of their personal information and their possessions. The fact that we go to a small, Catholic University doesn’t ensure the safety of an unattended bag in the library, and likewise in dorms, the Rec Center and the University Center. When it comes to guarding your personal items, the same rules that apply to any public place should apply on campus. Especially with the increased threat of information theft over the phone and email, crime now more than ever knows no boundaries. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Justice, credit-card data theft has increased 50 percent over the past few years. Students should consider these statistics and be wary, wherever they are, that they are always at risk for theft. Unfortunately, campus cannot be a safe haven from crime. College is where people get their first exposure to the “real” world, and crime is an inevitable part of that experience. Sometimes this means being less trustworthy of others. For example, instead of letting someone borrow your phone privately, make sure they use it in a public place where you can see them. Instead of asking a stranger to watch it, bring your own bag with you to the bathroom. Students can prevent putting themselves at risk by being responsible in public places, starting with our campus.