Thefts mark start of school year

Crime Blotter

Staff Reporter

Published: Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Updated: Thursday, September 2, 2010 04:09

The University Police Department arrested Ahmad Young on charges of driving too fast for conditions, driving with suspended or revoked license, driving a motor vehicle with invalid registration and an open container violation at approximately 2 a.m. on Aug. 21.

According to police reports, officers observed Young's vehicle traveling north on South Science Drive at a high rate of speed. After pulling over the vehicle, they noticed an open, half-full glass bottle of Golden Grain alcohol behind the passenger's seat. Young was arrested and transported to the Chatham County Detention Center.

Police responded to a report that a car window had been broken between approximately 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. on Aug. 5, while the vehicle was parked in University Crossings. Nothing appeared to be taken.

A student reported that his sneakers had been removed from his University Terrace II room between noon and 3 p.m. on Aug. 9. The complainant said the shoes were in his bedroom and that the bedroom door was locked while he was out of the apartment. UPD Chief Wayne Willcox said the incident is under investigation.

A complainant reported that her faculty/staff parking decal had been stolen off of her vehicle on Aug. 10.

While on patrol on Aug. 16, Lt. Thomas Gorman reportedly noticed a damaged electrical box in Windward Commons. According to the police report, it appeared as if someone had cut the wires in the box. Willcox said UPD will contact CIS to review camera footage of the incident.

A student reported that her hot-pink Coach wallet, which contained various credit cards, debit cards and cash, was taken from the Student Union on Aug. 17. The student said she canceled the cards.

A student reported that his clothes had been removed from a washing machine in Windward Commons between approximately 4:20 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. on Aug. 18.

Officers responded to a student's report that her radio faceplate and GPS device had been removed from her unlocked vehicle, which had been parked in the lot next to Windward Commons on Aug. 23.

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Campus crime blotter

Sodexo employees arrested, banned from campus

University Police Department Officer Michael Tyler met with a student Jan. 19 at 6:47 p.m. in the Pirate's Pantry after she noticed her United Bank debit card was missing. The student believed she lost the card in University Hall. However, through her online checking account, she discovered the card was used twice in the Pirate's Pantry that day at 3:05 p.m. and 5:35 p.m.

"The card was used improperly," said Police Chief Wayne Willcox. "That's financial transaction card fraud."

The first transaction was for Playtex tampons and a 0.2 oz bottle of Clear Eyes, totaling $5.54, and the second consisted of Nacho cheese-flavored Doritos and TGIF's spinach artichoke dip, totaling $4.79. The Pirate's Pantry staff returned the card, which had been left by the unknown offender at the counter, to the student. The manager on duty informed Tyler that a Sodexo employee ran the debit.

"Through investigation, we were able to determine that there were two employees that had some culpability and both of them got charged," Willcox said.

Austin Andrews and Jessica Moyer were arrested, banned from campus and taken to the county jail.

Cyberbullying, drugs, theft on campus

University Police officer Meagan Zike returned to police headquarters Dec. 1 in response to a report of a stolen bicycle. The student secured his mountain bike with a combination lock to a bike rack in front of the Student Union around 11:20 a.m. that morning. When he returned from classes at approximately 3 p.m., he discovered that his bike was missing.

"The problem with the cheap combination locks is that they're kind of made of a pot metal," Police Chief Wayne Willcox said. "Pot metal is where they kind of cast it — they take the metal and put it into a mold, and it sort of assumes a shape. The problem with casting is they can be very weak and also very cheap. If you really want to lock up your bike, you should use a U-lock."

Dispatch sent Officer Kenneth Louk to the Compass Point Clubhouse Dec. 3 after a student reported that her laundry was stolen from the dryer around 11 p.m. The student lost various Housing T-shirts, jeans, a hoodie and several other articles of clothing.

"We see this from time to time. This is an open campus," Willcox said. "This isn't somebody taking a T-shirt they wanted. This is somebody who just wanted to take a bunch of clothing. We have had issues with people coming on campus, and sometimes they're just looking for opportunities if the doors are open."