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Crime Prevention Tips

If you are new to Sacramento State or, perhaps, a concerned parent with a son or daughter attending the university, the following strategies may help prevent you or your child becoming a victim of crime in the college environment.

The suggestions contained here are specific to Sacramento State, and are a result of over 20 years experience in the investigation and analysis of campus crime.

These suggestions are being made to help increase awareness about the most common crimes at the university.

Opportunity Theft
Opportunity theft is the most prevalent crime on any college campus. Always maintain possession of your books and valuables. Never leave them unattended to search for a book or leave to use the restroom. Victims often tell us that they left only for a minute and came back to find their property gone. One solution is to ask a friend to watch your gear if it is not practical to take with you.

Bicycle Theft
Always lock your bicycle to a fixed metal rack in a designated bicycle parking area. A metal U-type lock is recommended. Take with you any parts that are quick-release and cannot be secured, and always record your serial number. It is a good idea to engrave your frame with your drivers license or identification card number. The department has an engraver and can loan it to you at the front counter.

In addition, it is recommended that you license your bicycle with the University Police Department so that the serial number and description is readily available just in case the bicycle is stolen. The Police Department is open 24 hours for bicycle registration.

The chances of recovering a stolen bicycle increase when a serial number has been entered into the California-wide stolen property data base. Minimize your loses ahead of time. Do not ride to campus on a high dollar bicycle.

Motor Vehicle Theft
Always lock your vehicle and use a club-like device to lock the steering wheel. Equip your vehicle with an alarm system that includes a flashing LED that can be seen from outside the vehicle. This, at least, puts the amateur vehicle thief on notice that taking the vehicle may not be worth the hassle. Arrive early and park smart. That is, park in an area with a high concentration of foot traffic or with people present. Or, if you park at night, park nearest the best lighting.

Consider adding a vehicle anti-theft system to your vehicle such as Lo Jack or one that works with a global positioning system. Each system allows the vehicle, if stolen, to be tracked by the police for a speedy recovery. Also, be informed. Check with your insurance company to see what makes and models are the most often stolen.

Crime and Suspicious Circumstances
Always report crime and suspicious circumstances immediately. The chances of an apprehension and recovery of property greatly increase when citizens call the police right away.