Thursday, January 8th 2009

By Lindsay Jolivet

Student neighbourhoods may not seem like high-risk areas for robbery; after all, they are just that—neighbourhoods filled with students just like us, stereotypically considered financially struggling individuals whose property consists largely of—well, books.

Although residential break-ins are reportedly at their lowest level in over 40 years, Crime Prevention Sergeant with McMaster Security Services Cathy O’Donnell held that student homes are prime targets for burglary. In fact, we may even be more at risk than the families of Westdale with whom we share our space. When asked if she felt student homes were more at risk than family-owned homes, O’Donnell responded with a resounding “yes.” She explained, “Students’ homes have numerous people coming and going at all times of the day and night, so it is difficult for neighbours to determine who belongs and who doesn’t.”

To illustrate O’Donnell’s point, take a look next door. Do you know your neighbours well enough to tell when they have a visitor? This lack of awareness in student communities makes it difficult for residents to look out for each other in case of robbery. Uncertainty about who lives next door, as well as which visitors are welcome and which are not, makes student neighbours reluctant to call the police at the approach of an unfamiliar individual.

Furthermore, O’Donnell noted, “Student homes typically are less secure; students will leave doors open ‘just in case someone stops by,’—and rental properties don’t regularly have the best locks or security.” It certainly seems like a stretch for many students to invest in a costly home security system. At about $200 to $300 for a system plus a monthly activation fee, they tend to opt out.

Effective locks for windows and doors, however, are a feasible request from student renters, assuming their landlord is reliable for such requests. O’Donnell emphasized, “It is the responsibility of the renter to ask the landlord for better locks, etc.” A healthy landlord-tenant relationship, specifically regarding the upkeep of student homes, is undoubtedly a central issue in preventing burglary.

The Residential Tenancies Act states that proprietors are responsible for maintaining the home up to appropriate standards of health, safety, housing, and maintenance, but students continue to have issues, which could jeopardize the safety of their homes. These concerns recently prompted an attempt to implement a by-law based on which landlords would have to attain a license to rent. This by-law is still in discussion.

Adding to the appeal of student homes for robbery is the particular value of items typically owned by students. “Student homes typically have more electronics, computers, etc., which are more valuable to robbers,” stated O’Donnell, “Every student seems to have a computer, and don’t forget all those great video games and numerous systems.” Security Services publications note that thieves generally wish to sell stolen items, which makes these electronic items the perfect target, as they can be reprogrammed and used by anyone.

Security Service’s page on home security also reminded that students lives are highly regulated, which makes information about their vacation times readily available. Burglars have no trouble finding out when students will be vacating their homes in masses, and without some preventative measures, robbery is almost temptingly easy.

As far as prevention goes, Security Services has specific recommendations laid out on their website, which O’Donnell kindly reiterated. For general prevention throughout the year, she recommended to “keep your home looking more like a home in the neighbourhood and not a “Typical Student House”—couches on front porches, beer cans in windows, flags for curtains and other stereotypical student items. Keep sidewalks shoveled and clean, as well as grass cut, and make sure someone takes care of this while you are away or unable [to].”

In order to reduce the risk of burglary during vacation times, like December holidays and Reading week, Security Services similarly recommends to have someone looking over the house while you are gone. This allows them to identify someone entering the house that should not be there, and helps to create the appearance that you are not away. Have someone pick up flyers, leave a radio, television, or light on, and angle the blinds to show the lights, “but not your belongings.”

Another logical recommendation that students would be wise to keep in mind is to take as many valuables  back home as possible, and to back up information on computers if they must be left behind.

Security Services also promotes a system that they use themselves for all university property, entitled Operation Identification. The system allows the police to trace personal belongings back to their rightful owners by an electronically engraved number, like a driver’s license number. Security Services recommends that students engrave valuable items with this number twice—once somewhere visible and another in a hidden area. To supplement this preventative measure they recommend writing down the make, model, and serial number of the item. The system is most useful for electronics.

Another program they promote is called STOP, which is relatively new to McMaster and was promoted during the December exam period while students were most at risk for laptop theft. It is advocated mostly for use on laptops, but it can also be used for other valuable items. According to the website, “STOP utilizes a metal serialized plate that is registered to the owner of the computer. This plate is affixed to the computer and is almost impossible to remove. If someone actually gets the plate off, there is a chemically bonded tattoo under the plate that identifies the computer as a stolen item.”

The plate costs $25 at the Compass Information Desk, which covers the cost of the plate, registration, and database listing. A laptop lock that allows the owner to secure the computer to any fixed object with a cord is available for $40. STOP’s purpose is to serve as a preventative measure for theft as well as an easy way to identify stolen items when thieves attempt to resell them.

Burglary in student homes is an issue of immediate concern. With their minds preoccupied with lectures, assignments, and exams, students sometimes forget to protect their homes. A few preventative measures can significantly lower the chances of a robbery, and a little extra attention could save a great deal of stress in the year ahead.

As a final note, O’Donnell warned, “If a student returns home and finds their house broken into, they should contact Hamilton Police right away; before entering.”

Tags: Operation Identification, protection, robbery, STOP