‘Last week, there were five burglaries and this weekend, yet another one was reported,’ says police officer Jeanine Berghorst. ‘It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to close the doors and windows whenever you leave the house. The atmosphere on campus is very open, which makes people more inclined to be a bit sloppy about these things, but you really should be careful.’
Laptops
The UT Security Service and the police will soon start a leaflet campaign on campus to increase awareness among students to close the doors and windows when they leave, but also to inform them about additional precautionary measures such as not leaving valuables (laptops, cameras, wallets) out in the open and installing outdoor lamps near the front and back door. In addition, the police advises students to have their valuables registered on characteristics and features. ‘When you register your possessions, chances are higher you might get them back. What's more, registered goods make it easier to trail burglars, because several burglaries can be linked to one and the same burglar, for example. In that case, the burglar will face a higher penalty.’
Suspicious behaviour
Berghorst cannot say with certainty whether the burglaries at the UT have been committed by one and the same burglar. ‘But we do think they may be, because the burglaries have all been committed in the same way.’
‘If you see someone who looks suspicious because they behave differently from the average student, please phone the UT Security Service and give a description of that person as soon as possible,’ says the police officer. ‘When describing the person in question, you can mention striking characteristics such as tattoos and piercings, but also their hair (long/short), their build and a registration plate of a car.’
In case of a burglary or you seeing someone displaying suspicious behaviour, please phone 2222 (UT emergency number) and/or 2134 (UT Security Service).
