Whenever you’re at D.H . Hill, always keep an eye on your belongings.
On Sunday morning, Feb. 27, an unidentified suspect attempted to steal a students’ backpack on the 8th floor of D.H . Hill Library. While the student, Afrouz Fetanat , went to collect papers from the nearest printer, the suspect took her backpack from the cubicle she had been working in.
Fetanat noticed the suspect had two backpacks as she passed him in the book stacks. One looked similar to hers, but Fetanat didn’t realize it was hers until she returned to her cubicle.
“At first I didn’t think it was mine, but then I looked where my backpack was supposed to be, and it wasn’t there,” Fetanat , freshman in electrical engineering, said.
After Fetanat became aware it was her bag, she quickly went after the suspect and demanded him to stop. He dropped her belongings and ran to escape.
”I quickly ran after the guy and yelled, ‘Stop,’ and he dropped my backpack on the floor and ran away. I was really scared at that moment, but I quickly came back to check and see if all the rest of my stuff was there, which it was,” Fetanat said.
A similar incident occurred around 3:07 p.m . on the afternoon of Saturday, Feb. 26, when a student reported their unattended book bag being stolen. Neither of the subjects, who have been cited as separate individuals, were located or identified.
”The police said that they were going through every floor to see if there is anything suspicious. They also checked the security camera to see if he is still in the building so they can look for him, but apparently the person that did this yesterday was a different one,” Fetanat said.
Lieutenant David Kelly, of Campus Police, said it is important for students to constantly be aware of their belongings while in the library. D.H . Hill has a large population of users, some of whom are not students. This makes it especially important to stay mindful of one’s belongings.
“D.H . Hill is frequently used by many students and non-students, so a lot of times when they go off to do things, they return and find their things missing. I don’t see where there’s been an increase in the amount of activity we have responded to compared to the past, but everyone should be more careful about leaving their things unattended,” Kelly said.
Anyone using common areas such as the library is encouraged to never leave their personal items unattended, Kelly said. People should always take personal items with them or have a trusted friend monitor them. It doesn’t take much time for personal items to go missing.
“If there’s any message the Campus Police can get across to the students and staff, [it] would be to put your property away, and don’t leave it unattended. Even if it’s just for a few seconds, it doesn’t take long for someone to walk by and take your personal property off a desk. Don’t be complacent, take a few minutes to gather your belongings and don’t leave them unattended,” Kelly said.
Students who see suspicious activity are encouraged to notify Campus Police. Campus Police will continue to monitor the area for further information about the two events.
Anthony Holmes, junior in agricultural business management, said he never considered leaving his things unattended would lead to theft, but plans to be more careful in the future.
“I will definitely be more careful of my things after learning about these two incidents. I always leave my things when going to the printer or getting a snack, and never thought it was an issue or concern,” Holmes said.
