Those green and white stickers in the dorm room which read "lock your doors" are there for a reason, but it looks like some people are not heeding the advice.
MSU police reported 220 thefts during the first eight months of the year, a jump from 170 during the same time in 2002. And already in the past two weeks there have been 20 on-campus larcenies.
On a campus with so many students and faculty, it's a wonder thieves get away with so much.
There are so many eyes and ears everywhere - if something happens, somebody should have witnessed and reported it.
Students now coming to campus bring more expensive belongings than his or her predecessors did.
A coffee pot and a frying pan were all students used to need.
Now, in an era of laptops, DVD players, cell phones and digital cameras, these expensive and easily transportable gadgets are big-ticket items for thieves.
Many people think their belongings are safe until they are robbed. This is not the mentality a person should have when it comes to their possessions.
MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said wallets and purses left in unlocked rooms are the biggest targets of thieves.
Although students might feel safe with other residents in their dorm, anybody could be lurking in the halls just waiting for that one unlocked door.
If a student has to sell plasma, take out a short-term loan and collect cans just to buy books, it's a good idea to keep these possessions nearby at all times.
Thieves can just as easily cash in books purchased with hard-earned money, since bookstore employees don't know who bought them in the first place.
MSU police say the best way to curb theft is to not only use common sense but to also be aware of suspicious activity. There are a number of officers investigating the thefts, but the offenders rarely are caught. It is impossible for the police to be everywhere at once, but if larceny is going up, then so should the number of arrests for larceny.
The police should be commended for their efforts, but if there is a pattern of theft in certain places - such as the IM buildings or the MSU Library - then something should have been done a long time ago, such as adding security cameras or making sure locks are not faulty.
This rash of events should not be left entirely in the police's hands. Instead of relying on them for everything that goes wrong, sometimes using a little common sense can go a long way.
Mentors and hall directors should also play a greater role in educating floormates on the consequences of theft. Floor meetings about keeping the bathrooms clean and the dangers of alcohol aren't going to cut it - students who have things stolen are put at a disadvantage, and those who get caught will be punished after going through the university judicial system.
Paying attention and taking appropriate action when a theft occurs not only can help the person in need but also makes the university better as a whole.
