Laptops, iPods, televisions and stereos are only a few valuables that can be found in dorm rooms, and, according to Crime Prevention Coordinator Tony Ortiz, these are also the most popular items stolen from dorm rooms.

“Whatever it is that’s hot on the market, people are going to want to steal,” Ortiz said. “Anything in the news that’s new and exciting, don’t buy because if you want it, other people want it, but they want it for free.”

According to Ortiz, most theft on campus occurs in the Union, workout centers and libraries, but dorm rooms are targeted as well.

Anthony Rizzo, junior in LAS and resident adviser in Taft Residence Hall, has had firsthand experience with theft in the University residence halls. People entered his room through a partially opened window, unlocked his door and left with his 20-inch flat panel television and laptop computer.

“As a (resident advisor), I told my residents to ensure their windows and doors are locked when they’re not in the room and to get a lock for their laptop,” Rizzo said.

Mandy Amsler, sophomore in LAS and a resident adviser in Van Doren Residence Hall, advises her residents not only to keep their doors and windows locked when they leave their rooms, but also to close their shades so people can’t see their items or whether they are home.

“You can tell people to be cautious as many times as you want,” Amsler said, “but they don’t pay attention until it happens to someone.”

According to Ortiz, it is difficult for an outsider to get into a residence hall because of the security, so the residence halls are not a main target for theft. Most theft in the University residence halls is internal, with most theives targeting the people they know.

“Most people wouldn’t normally steal, but given the opportunity, they would,” Ortiz said.

According to Ortiz, theft will be a continuous issue because people make the same mistakes every year. Ortiz said he thinks that the beginning of the school year is when residence hall theft is highest.

New students are overwhelmed with such a significant change and can become careless with their belongings.

Amsler, who agrees with Ortiz, said at the beginning of the year people are not familiar with their floor and who lives there, making residence halls more vulnerable.

Ortiz warns that students should also be careful around big vacation times such as winter break because some people begin packing their cars the night before they leave, making them an easy target. During midterms and finals most students should be extra cautious because they are often tired and have their guard down.

While Ortiz said he has seen an increase in students following simple safety procedures in residence halls, people are still careless in places like the Union, the workout centers and the libraries.