Public Safety has increased its initiative this year to advise students on how to protect their belongings over vacation so they will return to Dean's Date all-nighters and not to a missing laptop or bike.
"Some years are worse than other years, but there are thefts every year," said James Lanzi, a Public Safety officer.
Every year, thieves take different items. Lanzi said the most popular tend to be bicycles, bicycle parts, laptop computers and compact discs.
Items are especially more susceptible if the dormitory door is left unlocked.
Lanzi said Public Safety finds many open doors during its rounds over the break.
"We take time to check each door when we walk through the halls," he said. "You'd be amazed how many are unlocked."
Lanzi said the crimes are "not excessive," but a single crime is "excessive considering the dorm room should be locked."
Don Reichling, acting director of Public Safety, also agreed that the best defense against petty theft is locking bikes inside dorm rooms and securing laptops to desks, or taking them home.
Lanzi added that students remaining on campus should be careful when holding the door open for a stranger.
"It's easy. Students are so nice here," he said. "They'll let anyone in when that person is really a thief."
Dorms are victims to "friendly type crimes," Lanzi said, where "the criminal just walks in and goes shopping."
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