Issue date: 4/24/09 Section: News

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The number of burglaries rose on-campus and in residence halls from 2006 to 2007.

On-campus burglaries increased by 64 percent from 11 burglaries in 2006 to 17 burglaries in 2007, according to Eastern's Annual Security Report for 2007 released in October. Residence hall burglaries doubled from five burglaries in 2006 to 10 in 2007.

"When you look at the percentage rise, it sounds like a lot," said university police officer Ryan Risinger.

But, he said when one looks at the numbers, like an increase of 6, it is not as shocking.

"Are we concerned about it?" he said. "Yes."

Risinger said the increase in the on-campus burglaries in 2007 were a result of a burglary spree in the Greek Court and the Ninth Street area.

He said the University Police Department put extra patrol officers in the area.

Risinger said the UPD did some overtime and put officers on roofs and in plain clothes in personal vehicles.

"Now those crimes have stopped … hopefully it was our presence that did it," Risinger said.

Risinger is hopeful that the recent increases in officers and foot and bike patrol will also have an effect.

"One of the best tools is presence," he said.

The UPD has hired about four more officers in the last year or so, Risinger said. Last summer, foot and bike patrol increased after encouragement to do more by administration, he said.

Other public universities in Illinois have seen either small increases in on-campus burglaries as well, or large decreases. Southern Illinois University Carbondale had 101 on-campus burglaries in 2006, which dropped to 64 in 2007. Northern Illinois University saw an increase from 62 burglaries in 2006 to 66 in 2007. Western Illinois University had 36 on-campus burglaries in 2006 and 38 in 2007, and Illinois State University had 8 burglaries in 2006, which dropped to one in 2007.

In residence halls, Risinger said the UPD will patrol the lobbies and parking lots of the residence halls but they limit their patrol on the floors.

He said the residents have a reasonable expectation of privacy there.

He said if the UPD has a reason to enter the floors, they will, but it is not something officers normally do.

Risinger said a lot of the theft that occurs is from visitors.

If a roommate has a friend over, one has to be responsible of their belongings.

Risinger said it is often the small high-dollar gadgets, like iPods, laptops and game systems, that are stolen.

Of the burglary cases, he said some people do get caught.

"Often if it's the friend of the friend, (the UPD) can solve it by putting pressure on the roommate," Risinger said.

He said the UPD has also lifted fingerprints off of vehicles before. The surveillance cameras in the residence halls also help officers ID people.

Risinger said as the university gets more of these surveillance cameras, he hopes the UPD will see more of a decrease of burglaries.

To prevent thefts in the residence halls, Risinger said to lock the door at all times.

Whether taking a shower, going downstairs or walking next door, one should lock the door, he said.

"The open door is the opportunity for people," Risinger said.

He said most of the burglaries in the residence halls did not have doors kicked in, but the doors were left unlocked.

"People are waiting. A lot of crimes are crimes of opportunity," Risinger said.

He said these crimes could be people students know, people that have been in their rooms before.

In the case of a burglary, Risinger said to report the crime as soon as possible.


Emily Zulz can be reached at 581-7942 or at eazulz@eiu.edu.

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