Unlocked doors are an invitation to thieves.
But this doesn’t stop Lipscomb students from leaving their doors unlocked.
“I’m too lazy to get my keys out and unlock my door every time I need to,” junior Dee Baddley said. “It’s an inconvenience.”
34 cases of burglary occurred in 2013, 10 of which were in on-campus student housing facilities.
“We live in a great environment here at Lipscomb,” said Lipscomb Assistant Director of Campus Security Patrick Cameron. “We are in a good neighborhood, we have good people, and so it is very easy to feel safe and to leave your doors open and unlocked.”
Cameron said that while it does feel great to be on a safe campus, it only takes one second for anyone to walk in and grab whatever is out if the door is left open.
“We strongly encourage — even if you are going to be down the hall — if you can’t see your door, you need to lock it.
“If you’re going to the restroom you need to lock it, if you’re going to a shower, you need to take your keys with you and lock it,” Cameron said.
Because several of the burglaries occurred during hours of the night, students are highly encouraged to lock their dorm doors, especially while they sleep.
In 2012, there were only six cases of burglaries, and in 2011 there were 29 cases.
As the number of cases has increased over the last 3 years, students should not only lock their doors but also be aware of who is coming in their dorm.
Students should also be aware of their surroundings off campus.
Nearby universities Vanderbilt and Belmont have recently dealt with safety issues.
“We are blessed,” Cameron said. “We don’t have the same issues that they do.”
While Lipscomb’s issues are considered minor, campus security is still taking extra precautions and staying up-to-date on the cases that occurred at Vanderbilt and Belmont.
“We have kind of stepped up our patrols in the neighborhood.
“That is one of the things we are trying to be vigilant if we see – in particular a female who is by themselves – we are paying more attention to those things.”
The dorm rooms are not the only place for theft, though.
While there was only one case of motor vehicle theft in 2013, Cameron says that students should not leave valuables, or things that could appear as valuable, in plain sight.
Students should also mark their belongings, as thieves will be less likely to steal things if they are readily identifiable.
And if something is stolen, keeping a record of belongings with serial numbers is helpful for campus security and insurance purposes.
Taking these few simple precautions can minimize students’ risk.
“We can’t take those precautions for you.
“Security is everyone’s business, and while we are paid to do everything we can to ensure the safety of the students, faculty, staff and visitors, security is everyone’s business.”
Photo courtesy of lipscomb.edu