Police, students work to curb campus crime in reported assault aftermath

More people were arrested for larcenies on MSU’s campus in 2007 than in the previous two years, but violent robberies stayed about the same, according to the MSU police 2007 annual crime report.

The number of felony larceny arrests reached a five-year high in 2007, with 91 arrests. There were 14 larceny arrests in 2005 and 13 in 2006.

But the number of larceny reports has decreased since 2004. MSU police attribute the high number of arrests to its Community Policing program.

Many of the thefts happen because people leave their belongings unattended, MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said.

“A lot of these crimes are just really crimes of opportunity,” she said. “That’s why we work with the residence halls on how to make (students) less of a victim.”

MSU police also have worked with residence hall staffs to teach students what police are looking for in criminal descriptions, McGlothian-Taylor said.

“When there’s a crime on campus, we do try to post it. I’m hoping the community is becoming more comfortable in contacting the department,” she said.

Police hope posting suspect descriptions will make students more aware of what the department is looking for when victims report a suspect.

Eye color, height, weight and clothing descriptions help narrow the search, McGlothian-Taylor said.

There was no increase in armed robberies reported to MSU police in 2007. There was one person arrested for armed robbery in 2005 and 2006 — those numbers are down from six armed robbery arrests in 2004.

A group on campus is looking to keep the number of incidents low by offering walks home during the week from the Main Library.

State Walk, a free program offered by members of the non-greek coed service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, is available from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday.

State Walk volunteers have a table on the Main Library’s main floor near the reference desk. Two volunteers walk students anywhere on campus or to the edge of campus, said State Walk co-chair and no-preference freshman Emily Suarez-Junquera.

Students should not have to make a decision to study at the Main Library based on whether they can walk home, she said.

“I know a bunch of girls are just nervous about whether they’re going to get home,” Suarez-Junquera said.

At about 2 a.m. Monday, a female student was threatened with a pocketknife on her way home from the Main Library. A man approached her and held the knife to her neck before fleeing the area.

The student did not report any injuries, but students like Molly Benson, a psychology junior, are being cautious.

“Ever since those assaults started happening, I feel a little apprehensive and there’s certain parts of campus I don’t like to walk at night,” she said. “But generally there’s those green lights around and I feel generally safe.”

Published on Thursday, October 9, 2008