Thieves snatching laptops from inattentive students at U-M library
The University of Michigan Department of Public Safety has a message for all students, but especially graduate students who use Hatcher Graduate Library: Keep an eye on your laptop and other electronics.
Since just Monday, nine laptops and two tablet devices have been stolen at the graduate library, according to the U-M crime incident summary.
So far this year, 100 laptops have been stolen on campus, said U-M police spokeswoman Diane Brown. That's more than double the number, 43, that had been reported stolen at this time last year
At the beginning of the year, Shapiro Undergraduate Library experienced a high rate of larcenies, but now Hatcher seems to be the mark for would-be thieves, Brown said. She added that U-M police are finding backpacks ditched by the suspects in the bathrooms of adjoining buildings.
The most disturbing aspect of the thefts seems to be the speed at which the laptops are disappearing, Brown said. Whereas in the past, it might have taken 20 to 30 minutes of leaving a laptop unattended for a suspect to snatch it, computers are now disappearing in the time in takes a student to get up and retrieve a piece of paper from the printer and return.
“We’re trying to do a variety of actions at the library,” Brown said, increasing police patrols.
Police urge students to not leave their laptops or other expensive electronics unattended and to report any suspicious behavior to police. Brown also urges students to register their laptops with the department at the U-M police website.
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
RJA
Sat, Oct 13, 2012 : 12:53 a.m.
Got to watch your property, can't leave it alone 30 seconds in this world today.
steven
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 11:53 p.m.
The nice thing about electronics larceny is that it's 100% preventable - don't leave your computer out unattended and it won't get stolen. Why anyone would think they could leave their laptop out on a college campus and have it not get stolen is beyond me.
GoNavy
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 8:23 p.m.
Honestly, this happens every single year. Every year, doe-eyed freshman appear at the University's libraries with beautiful new laptops, which they then proceed to leave unattended for extended periods all over the place. They are then shocked to learn that the world isn't full of thoughtful and respectful individuals when they find their laptop missing. Only then do they realize that it's important to watch their property and - if necessary - lock it up. If I were an enterprising thief, I would definitely be canvassing all of the University's libraries during the first few months of each school year to score me some free laptops.
TruthBeTold
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 7:56 p.m.
Post basic security. Nothing major. Just enough to see who is coming in empty handed and leaving with a bag.
Jake C
Sat, Oct 13, 2012 : 2:30 a.m.
"Oh hey sir, I see you want to leave the library, I'm just going to go ahead and cross-reference your current belongings against this video footage. Can you tell me when you entered the library? No? Okay, well I'll just fast-forward through 5 hours of tape, please just stand right there. Wait, why are you walking out of here? You can't leave until I finish watching this tape! I order you to stop, even though I'm just a private security guard and have no legal authority to detain you! Stop I say!"
EyeHeartA2
Sat, Oct 13, 2012 : 12:16 a.m.
^^^^ I'm going to go out on a limb and answer that with....wait for it.... a C A M E R A or V I D E O.
GoNavy
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 8:27 p.m.
What kind of basic security memorizes each incoming visitor, complete with the gear they are carrying, then mentally cross-references that data hours later when the same visitor leaves?
David
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 7:49 p.m.
Is this a recent development? Something that happened since the 1950's, when I was at UofM?
EyeHeartA2
Sat, Oct 13, 2012 : 12:15 a.m.
...and computers
hail2thevict0r
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 8:03 p.m.
Yes, the invention of laptops.....
schultz2005
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 6:33 p.m.
I thought you had to be a student to get into the library and to show your id?? Oh wait, that was at Harvard University. UM should do that -- check in the building with student id.
GoNavy
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 8:24 p.m.
Most of the University's libraries are completely open to the public. Why would you want to close them down to people? Because some wet-behind-the-ears kid who can't listen to directions had his laptop stolen?
hail2thevict0r
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 8:02 p.m.
Harvard = private, UM = public.
DBH
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 6:39 p.m.
I don't see how that would make a difference unless the thief or thieves did not have a student ID, a possibility which is not known at this time, as far as I can tell. Students may be committing these thefts.
Blue Marker
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 6:27 p.m.
These theives better be carefull. Some laptops, like my sons have a GPS sort of tracker installed.
djacks24
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 8:28 p.m.
On Apple devices of any kind (Apple computers running 10.7.x or later) can activate a mycloud account and use find my iphone for their devices.
hail2thevict0r
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 5:42 p.m.
What's worse is that every student HAS to attend orientation and part of their orientation is listening to a DPS officer speak. Part of his speech is dedicated to talking about laptop thefts and reminds students to never leave them unattended. It's shocking to me how many students still do.
YpsiGreen
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 8:31 p.m.
the brightest and the best...obviously.
SS
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 8:12 p.m.
and there are signs around the building encouraging students to not leave their stuff unattended.
Goober
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 5:30 p.m.
I thought that 'street smarts' and 'common sense' were requirements if you wanted to go to college. Why would someone even think that they could leave their PC unattended for any period of time? There is something not right here!
Pizza Man
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 8:19 p.m.
"I thought that 'street smarts' and 'common sense' were requirements if you wanted to go to college." Wow, you have no idea about the U of M kids! Those two things are not on a test so they don't know it! On a recent Ride Along with the A2 PD, I was told that if the U of M students would lock their apartments and not leave there lap tops in plain view, that would cut down on most of the crime on campus. When I am at Starbuck I always take my lap top into the bathroom with me. I value my $2,500 computer. I paid for it and I will have to pay for a new one if it is stolen. These kids don't pay for anything on their own. When you are given everything it doesn't mean anything to lose a computer. All they have to do is call "daddy" and he will buy you a new one.
simone66
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 6:46 p.m.
Goober, it's not necessarily a thing to do with 'street smarts or common sense', just like the report stated, people get up to go grab a piece of paper that they printed off, and they come back, and it's gone - not even a minute or two. I know that when I'm at the EMU library, I need to run to the bathroom quick, I'm only gone for maybe 2 minutes. I can't unplug everything, and pack up, just to use the bathroom. Students are at the library to study and to research... not to go there in total defense mode against what appears to be an established covert operation of a group of thieves looking for the opportunity to snatch someone's stuff. It's cruel and crude.
DBH
Fri, Oct 12, 2012 : 5:29 p.m.
I think an ongoing sting operation on the part of the UM police would be a good idea.