Nearly every other day, a student files a police report of property theft at Sacramento State. Incidents of property being stolen and not reported means the theft rate is actually worse.

While some victims of theft happen to be unfortunate due to rotten people walking on campus seizing a quick opportunity, others can’t claim horrible luck.

Some students are simply careless.

Everyone on campus needs to be more observant and not make rushed decisions. Leaving a laptop on a table for a trip to the bathroom is a great way of losing it, even if it is a quick trip.

All valuables must be carried at all times whenever possible, even if it is inconvenient. A hassle is a lot better than losing something so expensive.

Sac State is a great place to get an education, but it’s not a Utopia. We have thieves wandering around campus looking for things to steal and sell every day. They have always been here and are unlikely to go away.

Fall 2011 has brought students to campus for 31 days. In that time, at least eight bicycles, six vehicle catalytic converters, three cellphones, handfuls of cash and a laptop have disappeared.

With 30,000 students, visitors and a campus open to the public, this means there will always be crime. There are fewer than two dozen police officers patrolling campus; they can’t be everywhere at once and prevent all crime.

University Police eventually wants to reduce the number of bike thefts to zero. This is not going to happen. It’s a nice dream scenario, but unrealistic. Too many students in a rush to get to class end up parking their bikes in foolish ways.

Locking a bicycle to an object that is not bolted to the ground – or a short pole – is essentially not locking your bicycle at all. Having the proper lock is necessary for everyone, no matter where you park it.

“Get a U-lock, because people can’t break through those things,” said junior social work major Katina Davis, who works with the campus night shuttle at the bike lot as a dispatch and driver. “The spiral ones are not that helpful.”

University Police recommends having two locks to protect your bicycle, one for the frame and one for a tire. Both need to be protected since thieves have different reasons for stealing bicycles.

Some will take whatever part they can remove to sell, others need the whole bicycle to claim as their own.

Making it harder to steal bicycles means it is less likely someone will spend time trying to get it. The longer it takes to steal a bicycle the more it increases the chances the police or other observers will catch someone in the act.

“I’ve called for help before but by the time they got here, the guy was already gone with the bike,” Davis said.

Having everyone get their bikes registered with University Police would help in returning stolen bicycles to their owners, but many do not bother registering them. There needs to be more promotion of the bicycle registration in the beginning of the semester so more people take advantage of the program. Registering a bicycle takes less than 10 minutes.

Registration should be mandatory so it becomes well known that stealing bicycles on this campus is risky even if thief gets away initially. If everyone had to check their bicycle in and out of the lot in high-traffic times, it would be a lot harder to simply walk away with one.

It would be time-consuming and inconvenient for those in a rush, but having a safer lot is worth it, especially for those who can’t afford a replacement.

“It’s a lot safer since someone is watching it from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.,” said senior geology major Alyssa Raisis, who works for the bike compound.

The campus may always attract some thieves, but that attraction can be reduced over time with good decisions and effective procedures.

Vigilance is the only way to reduce campus theft to a minimum.

Folsom Hall gives the nursing department more space, but is pitch black at night in parts of the parking lot. Separated from the rest of campus, there are fewer people walking around to notice suspicious activity.

It is no surprise the first incident of grand theft auto this semester occurred there. More lights and cameras need to be placed outside Folsom Hall – lots of them.

The cameras that have been placed around campus this year are a good start, although more are needed in the parking structures and lots.

It is going to take a combined effort from the student body and the administration to reduce theft successfully. All must do their part to help make campus a safer place to be.

Anyone with a cell phone who is on campus often should have the number of the Sac State Police Department (916) 278-6851 to call at the first sign of trouble. The police need all the extra pairs of eyes they can get.