Theft common during move-ins

Police are warning students and Bloomington residents that burglaries could be on the rise as students return to campus. Both the Bloomington and IU police departments stress that taking simple preventative measures, such as locking doors and being aware of suspicious activity, can easily deter theft. \nA residential home on the 600 block of East Maxwell Lane was burglarized early in the morning July 30. The owner of the residence came home to find his basement door pried open, Bloomington Police Department Capt. Joe Qualters said, reading from a police report. Two bottles of vodka, kitchen utensils and personal papers were missing. \nQualters said residents in the 100 to 600 blocks of First Street, Second Street, Maxwell Lane and University Street should be aware of burglaries in the area. He said there have been a string of recent burglaries in which families have come home to find missing DVDs, cologne and change. \nQualters said given the time of the year, when people are moving in and out of their rented houses and apartments for the upcoming semester, break-ins are more likely to occur. He said burglars will likely be looking for doors to pry open at the back of residences. \n“People should make sure they secure their residences as well as look for suspicious behavior and individuals,” Qualters said. \nIUPD Capt. Jerry Minger said the police department usually deals with larcenies and burglaries in the dormitories or public IU buildings. Minger said IUPD gets one or two robberies, in which possessions are actually taken, during the school year. In 2006, they had 69 burglaries, which are forced entries. He said larceny is probably the largest criminal problem on college campuses.\nMinger said students will leave their books, clothing, bookbags and other small items around, and people see this as a prime opportunity to steal them. \nMinger said people should be less worried about theft during move-in, when more people are around and campus is congested.\n“It does come down to being aware of your surroundings and being responsible for your property,” Minger said.\nMinger added that if anyone has anything taken, they should call IUPD.