BROWNSBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION POLICE DEPARTMENT
STARTS THEFT PREVENTION PROGRAM
Cell phones and other electronics can costs
hundreds of dollars to replace if stolen.
What teenager these days does not have a cellphone, an iPod, or a laptop? Or even all three? While we enjoy these amenities in life, they can also make us vulnerable to thieves. Due to the expense of electronics, and the ability for resale, they become hot items for criminals. Theft is a crime of opportunity, and if students do not protect their valuables, the opportunity for theft is ripe in the school setting.
In the 2011-2012 school year, the BCSCPD received numerous reports of theft, nearly all of which involved an electronic device. In most cases, the items were stolen after having been left unattended, for example, in a locker room lying on the bench. In light of this problem, it was determined that proactive action needed to be taken in order to prevent thefts from occurring by decreasing opportunity within the school.
The National Association of School Resource Officers had recently featured an article in their Journal of School Safety about a school resource officer who had developed a program to deal with thefts of iPods in the school. The BCSCPD contacted the SRO for assistance in developing their own program. What resulted is being implemented for the 2012-2013 school year.
The primary feature of the program is education. It is very important that students realize the value of their electronics, and the risk of having those valuables stolen if simple steps are not taken to protect themselves. When students are aware that they can be victims of theft even at school, they should be more willing to lock up their valuables in their lockers and not leave them in the open for thieves to steal literally in a matter of seconds. If valuables are left in a vehicle, they should be in a console or compartment out of plain view. Students should also be aware of suspicious persons hanging around locker rooms, students' belongings, or empty vehicles and report the persons to staff or police. Students hold the power to eliminating opportunities for thieves in our school.
Another important aspect of the program is registration of electronics with the school police. When items are stolen, one of the most necessary pieces of information for the police to have is the serial number. Unfortunately, that is usually stolen as well. Registration allows the police to have the information they need prior to a theft. With this information, items that are located or recovered can be quickly identified as stolen and returned to the rightful owner. Students can pick up registration forms from their team offices. If a student does become a victim of theft, they should report it immediately to staff or police.
Students should know that while registration is helpful in the event of theft, it can never replace protecting your property from being stolen in the first place.
Through this program, the BCSCPD aims to decrease opportunity for thieves in school, and increase the risk of them being caught and prosecuted.
In the 2011-2012 school year, the BCSCPD received numerous reports of theft, nearly all of which involved an electronic device. In most cases, the items were stolen after having been left unattended, for example, in a locker room lying on the bench. In light of this problem, it was determined that proactive action needed to be taken in order to prevent thefts from occurring by decreasing opportunity within the school.
The National Association of School Resource Officers had recently featured an article in their Journal of School Safety about a school resource officer who had developed a program to deal with thefts of iPods in the school. The BCSCPD contacted the SRO for assistance in developing their own program. What resulted is being implemented for the 2012-2013 school year.
The primary feature of the program is education. It is very important that students realize the value of their electronics, and the risk of having those valuables stolen if simple steps are not taken to protect themselves. When students are aware that they can be victims of theft even at school, they should be more willing to lock up their valuables in their lockers and not leave them in the open for thieves to steal literally in a matter of seconds. If valuables are left in a vehicle, they should be in a console or compartment out of plain view. Students should also be aware of suspicious persons hanging around locker rooms, students' belongings, or empty vehicles and report the persons to staff or police. Students hold the power to eliminating opportunities for thieves in our school.
Another important aspect of the program is registration of electronics with the school police. When items are stolen, one of the most necessary pieces of information for the police to have is the serial number. Unfortunately, that is usually stolen as well. Registration allows the police to have the information they need prior to a theft. With this information, items that are located or recovered can be quickly identified as stolen and returned to the rightful owner. Students can pick up registration forms from their team offices. If a student does become a victim of theft, they should report it immediately to staff or police.
Students should know that while registration is helpful in the event of theft, it can never replace protecting your property from being stolen in the first place.
Through this program, the BCSCPD aims to decrease opportunity for thieves in school, and increase the risk of them being caught and prosecuted.