Most students would feel apprehensive about walking through deserted parking lots after midnight, but according to police, this year’s increased crime rate includes a rise in daylight crime as well.
“Incidence of robberies in daytime are increasing,” said University Police spokeswoman Maj. Cathy Atwell. However, she said the increase may simply be a byproduct of the increase in total robberies this year.
University Police Chief Ken Krouse said robberies might occur in daylight hours because criminals are desperate for money or because students walk in isolated areas.
“It’s mostly indicative of robbers being very bold,” Atwell said.
According to Atwell, daylight hours are a particular concern because most people feel relatively safe during the day since visibility is better and there are more people around.
There are fewer resources to keep students from walking alone during the day, because many university buses don’t run to off-campus housing before dark.
However, Krouse said if someone called the police in the middle of the day and needed an escort, the police would provide one.
There have been a total of four significant daylight robberies so far this school year, including an afternoon robbery at gunpoint March 11 near University Courtyard and a morning robbery in Graduate Hills during spring break.
Atwell said most theft occurs when property is left unattended. She also said that robbers often target people who look vulnerable, such as those who walk alone or have their hands full.
There are always a minimum number of officers on duty at all hours, but that Monday mornings are a primary concern because many people discover thefts that had occurred over the weekend when they return to the campus, Atwell said.
Krouse said daylight robberies were unusual because robberies are a “crime of opportunity,” and chances for crime to occur are rarer during the day. However, he said that vigilance is important because “victims feel more at ease during the day.”
Motor vehicle thefts are especially common during the day because people leave their vehicles alone for several hours while they work or attend class, Krouse said.
Property theft from cars is also a problem because people tend to leave belongings in full view or leave their cars unlocked.
Krouse said police concentrate security cameras near parking lots for this reason.
“Because of the number of people on campus, it’s easy [for robbers] to blend in,” Krouse said.
Both Atwell and Krouse recommended students call in any “suspicious activity,” people who seem as though they don’t fit in with the area or situation.
“We depend on the community calling about suspicious activity,” Atwell said.
