“Don’t ever, ever leave your belongings behind and say I will be back in a second because it only takes a second for your property to go missing,” said Lt. Huddleston in an early morning interview on August 28.

One student found this out the hard way on August 20. While attending class in room CC-102, she left her purse unattended, walked to the front of the class and her wallet was stolen.

To be unaware just for one second seems to make all the difference in if you walk away from your class with all of your belongings.

Every year around the start of the fall and spring semesters, LMC experiences a rash of thefts. Four bikes, a bike seat, a vehicleß, and a textbook were among the items stolen items stolen since the start of this semester totaling 10 in all.

Incidences like this accrue all over the LMC campus, from the parking lot to the classroom and everywhere in between. These crimes are crimes of opportunity, and are preventable.

The best crime deterrent is paying attention to your surroundings and using common sense. Such as  not leaving your iPad on the front seat of a car with the window cracked or leaving valuables in plain view when unattended. These can be steps in the right direction of protecting yourself and your property.

Anything and everything that is not tied down or not looked after closely can be considered, for some people, up for grabs. That means paying attention at all times is crucial.

Something Cesar Santos has implemented since starting at LMC two years ago. He attributes his cautious behavior from the advice he received from Art and Journalism Professor Curtis Corlew

“I’m always careful, I never leave my stuff hanging around and I try to take my stuff everywhere,” said Santos.  “I had Curtis Corlew, when we would start class at the beginning of the semester he would always remind us to be extra vigilant with our stuff.”

“I tell them even though this is a wonderful place and almost all the students are wonderful, there are people on campus, and some of them are not even students, that just come on campus and will take your things,” said Corlew.

Corlew has had some experience with things going missing. His computer and backpack have been stolen, and once his daughter had her sunglasses brazenly stolen from the lunchroom table were she was eating lunch.

This is a problem that plagues all of society, but for some reason people seem to be more relaxed in a college setting. This is a mistake, and leaves the unsuspecting student easy marks for those who cannot control their urge to take what is not theirs.

“It’s like a kid. When they see that piece of candy or cookie, more often than not their going to take it,” Huddleston said “easy access leads to easy pickings.”

The LMC police services can’t be everywhere all the time, so they urge the college community to call and report anything out of the ordinary or suspicious activity.

LMC is a pretty safe place in the way of personal safety but if you find your-self on campus late at night and feel uneasy about walking alone to your vehicle, you can request an escort from an available officer or officer aid.

To put it plainly, people steal. If you like your stuff take care of it, keep an eye on your belongings at all times, and don’t leave anything of value out in the open. Make sure your car doors are locked and the windows are rolled up. If you leave a room, lock it or take your belongings with you, or have someone trustworthy watch over it.

By being mindful, and aware of your surroundings, can make the difference of being victimized or not. By dialing 925-439-2181 ext. 3228 you can report a crime, request an escort or provide information