Feburary campus crime down 2.9 percent

February saw a 2.9-percent drop in crime on campus from January, due in part to a 43.3-percent fall in thefts from buildings, Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush said.

Police Chief Mark Dorsey attributes this to the fact that the Division of Public Safety recently has taken into custody a number of criminals who had plagued the campus with theft.

He also attributed this particular fall in crime to the DPS’s campaign against unattended theft, although he maintained “it is a constant challenge to make people understand the value of this program.” Dorsey also commented that the registration of property with DPS has been “consistent.”

He maintained that unattended theft is a problem common to virtually all universities.

DPS was particularly successful in halting phone snatchings that were problematic in early February. Although it remains an active investigation, cell phone thefts dropped after identifying the suspects with the help of Philadelphia Police detectives and then obtaining search warrants.

Since January, total crime has been relatively steady. Engineering freshman Thomas Muse felt “pretty safe” on campus this past February and did not notice any visible increase in crime.

Dorsey felt that DPS is “making strides,” and that the DPS focus on being a highly “visible” force on campus is responsible for this impact.

While DPS has cut back theft inside Penn buildings, they have noted an increase in retail thefts in the past few months, although there was no increase from January to February.

DPS has also been successful in the arrest of trespassers lately, and attributes this to both their officers’ vigilance and an active communication with the community — a relationship DPS prizes, according to Dorsey.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.