Since the last article in this column discussed bicycle theft prevention, it might seem inappropriate to discuss property theft prevention in this article. But, considering that department officers take one or two theft reports from students nearly every day, theft prevention is a topic that needs to be discussed.

One of the most important things that can be done to prevent becoming a victim of a property theft is to not leave personal belongings unattended, whether it is a backpack, laptop computer, purse, or books.

Typically, victims of theft report they left their property unattended for a few minutes or less. Sadly, a few minutes is all the time it takes for a theft to occur.

A question that officers ask when taking a property theft report is the value of the property that was taken. In some theft cases, victims have reported having several hundred dollars worth of property stolen, simply because they left it unattended.

If asked, most of the victims would say they would not leave a $5 bill out in the open, unattended, even for a few minutes. Yet, time and again, officers find that victims have left their property unattended.

Needless to say, leaving personal property unattended is just an invitation for a thief, and the easiest way to prevent becoming a victim of a theft is keeping your property under your control at all times, regardless of the inconvenience it may cause.

One of the most important things that a theft victim should do after discovering the theft is to report the theft to the police department. A delay in reporting severely limits the ability of the police department to recover any property taken in a theft.

Also, if the property taken includes credit cards, ATM cards or a checkbook, victims also need to immediately notify the bank of the theft. It doesn’t take long for a thief to make several hundred dollars worth of purchases. The hassle of getting the charges reversed can usually be avoided by quick and timely notification to their bank.

A preventative measure that can be taken to assist the police in property recovery in the event of a theft, as well as the notification of banks and insurance companies, is to maintain a document containing the make, model and serial numbers of all electronic equipment, as well as credit card numbers and bank contact information.

The document should always include the name and contact information for all banks and credit card companies, the IMEI/MEID numbers of all cellular telephones owned and pictures of all property in the document.

This document should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis, and be kept in a safe, readily accessible location.

Most importantly of all, students should report all suspicious persons and activity to the campus police dispatchers. Our number is (916) 278-6851. We’re always on duty, 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

If you have a question for the police officers, dispatchers, and administrative staff members of the Sacramento State Police Department, e-mail the question to [email protected], and your question may be answered in a future column.