Theft is the number one crime on the Drexel campus, and your laptop is a prime target.
Please do not leave your laptop unattended for any amount of time in any public space, and that includes the library. Going to the bathroom, stepping away to make a phone call, and popping outside for a hotdog or cigarette all count as lengths of time away.
Even if you ask a neighbor to watch your stuff, his or her studiously bent eyes might not be quick enough to catch a seasoned thief. Wherever you go, no matter how long, if your laptop is out of site, it will very likely be stolen.
It happened today, and it happens a lot. So please: Protect your stuff.
Laptop thefts in Hagerty this week: FIVE
Reason: They were left unattended.
Need more fear?: Unattended theft comprises 80% of all reported crime on Drexel campus.
If you leave your laptop, wallet, cell phone, sapphire engagement ring, etc. unattended in the library, it will be stolen. If you have to go to the bathroom, make a phone call, or leave your study spot for two minutes, please leave your coat, your scarf, your books, or a note on your chair to save your spot. But please don’t leave anything that might garner black market bucks, because it will be gone when you return.
We have security guards, locked doors, and vigilant staff, but at the end of the day, Hagerty Library is a public place, which means you need to keep your head on a swivel. We hate to see your stuff get lost or stolen, so please keep it safe by keeping it in sight.
There have been several thefts in Hagerty Library over the past week. Library and security staff do their best to control the environment, but please remember, if you leave your things unattended in the library, they are not safe from theft.
When you are in the library, please do not leave your things in a place where you can not see them at all times. Please help us keep thefts down by being careful.
Thefts in the library are increasing every month. Specifically laptops. Can we have laptop locks at the circulation desk?
Thanks for the reminder. Theft at Hagerty is a continuing problem, as it is in any public space.
We have considered providing locks in the past. However, these locks encourage people to leave their things unattended in study spaces for extended periods. We have recently had several complaints about study space being made unavailable by those who leave their items behind for too long.
To prevent theft, please do not leave your valuables unattended in the library even for a moment. And we ask that you please not ask library staff or other students to watch your stuff, as they are easily distracted by their own tasks and can’t take responsibility. Walking around the library, staff members regularly see valuable items left out in the open completely unattended. If you are one of the people who leaves items behind, chances are very high that your stuff will be stolen.
Of course, we wish that the library was a completely safe environment, and we do our best to ensure security. But, unfortunately, there are thieves who make their way into the building, so we ask that everyone take care and keep a careful eye on their possessions.
Just as we were quietly winding down the week this past Friday, Hagerty Library suddenly found itself in the midst of a brouhaha. Shortly before 5pm, a large team of Philadelphia police entered Hagerty looking for a robbery suspect. Drexel security soon arrived and locked the building, asking staff and patrons to remain inside while the search continued. At 6pm the building was evacuated for further searching, but Fox news reports it was later revealed that the suspect left the building before it was locked down.
Read more about the incident on the Philadelphia Daily News, Fox News, and CBS 3.
If you were in Hagerty between 5 and 6 on Friday, thanks for your patience. Hopefully Memorial Day weekend will kick off with less suspense.
Please watch your wallets while you’re at the library!
Public Safety reports a pick pocketing trend in University City—especially in crowded public areas. Most often pick pockets take wallets from bags or purses that are draped over chairs, slung over the shoulder of someone waiting in a line, or left under a table.
Pick pocketers look for people who are not paying attention. The division of public safety recommends that you take the following precautionary measures:
- DO NOT hang your pocketbook or bag over the back of your chair while you are in a dining establishment or other public place.
- DO NOT place your pocketbook or bag under the table out of sight.
- Always keep your pocketbook or bag closed.
- If you are in line or a crowded space, keep your pocket book or bag in front of you where you can see it.
- Report suspicious activity as soon as you can by calling the Police.
- Drexel Public Safety: dial 215-895-2222
- Philadelphia Police: dial 911
Please keep these measures in mind at the library or at any crowded public place.
