<p>Does anyone know of the extensive amount theft crimes at Rice University? My son just got his laptop and entire school bag stolen from a locked research lab at Rice University. He only stepped aside for 5 minutes and came back to find all of his possession stolen. He basically lost every valuable item that he ever owned, including his TI graphic calculator, wallet, books and etc that were in his school bag. The only person that was in that area and has the key to the locked lab was the custodian lady. She was right outside of the locked back door when my son got up to talk to a student in an adjacent room. Since the lab is on 3rd floor of the building, the back door is very secluded and desolated, especially during that time of day. Even though there was many circumstantial evidence against her, my son was told not to scrutinize her. Since we had been struggling financially due to being out of a job for an extensive period of time, it is difficult to replace the lost items. My son had worked all summer just to save enough to buy his laptop and it is gone only after two months. It is very disheartening and discouraging for a 17 years old. After the ordeal, my son has gotten extremely sick with a fever and has become increasingly paranoid. It will be totally understandable and acceptable if the items were stolen from a common area. Having his items stolen from a locked research lab in 5 minutes make him feels so vulnerable. It also highlight how extensive the insider theft at Rice campus is. My son just heard that some professors had their laptops and computers stolen right off their office. He really wished he had known this earlier then he would have his possession super glued to himself.</p>
<p>I’m very, very sorry his stuff was stolen. </p>
<p>He should have dorm insurance, which would cover that. We use CSI. Some of d’s stuff became water-damaged this summer, and they had the claim paid within ten days, in full, all via email. Please consider getting the dorm policy – I think d’s is $79 or so. </p>
<p>But again, I’m very sorry.</p>
<p>Your homeowners’ insurance might cover the loss, too.</p>
<p>Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, he doesnt live in the dorm and we dont have the homeowner/rental insurance that will cover that.</p>
<p>Be sure to file losses with the off-campus regular Police Department as well as on-campus people. If any of the electronics had tracing software be sure that city police have that info. </p>
<p>iPhones and iPads and many other GPS enabled devices can be tracked…any chance of that?</p>
<p>I am so sorry. </p>
<p>My own son, very bright, not at Rice, had a similar thing happen during his freshman year. Set down his backpack which contained his laptop, wallet, books and notebooks… Everything except his phone… At a spot on campus he felt was safe. It was all taken in the few minutes it was unattended. Its a harsh world out there, and it was a tough moment for him to realize that the place he loved the most had a few criminals who could, after all, just stroll onto campus, pick up an unattended backpack, and walk away.</p>
<p>However, we learned that our son was able to report his lost backpack to the campus and town police, and report his stolen credit and debit cards on his own, before he ever called us. It was a moment when we were (besides being irritated that he left all that stuff unattended) pleased that he knew what to do and that he took care of it on his own.</p>
<p>In the end, the backpack, along with the wallet, his driver’s license, his student ID and his books and notebooks were all recovered by the town police within an hour. They were stuffed under a bridge a few blocks off campus. The laptop and all the chargers and cords, along with a few gift cards … The stuff that could be hocked or used or sold easily…were all that was missing. We had purchased the laptop through the school along with insurance in it, so we paid only $100 to replace it. </p>
<p>Our son learned a good life lesson. We were thankful that the thief left what he/she did.</p>
<p>Have him check with whoever runs that lab to see if this is a repeat occurrence in that lab. Make sure also reports it to campus and town police. </p>
<p>Nowadays the average student can typically be walking around with thousands of dollars worth of stuff that can be easily stolen - laptop, smart phone, headphones, graphing calculator, ipad, gift cards, credit cards, cash, textbooks (can easily be hundreds of $$ for a few of them), etc. It only takes turning one’s back for a couple of minutes for it to disappear - especially when it’s all conveniently packaged in a concealment carrying package that blends in (aka backpack).</p>
<p>Keep in mind these thefts happen at all campuses - even the best. It’s unfortunate it happens, especially since it can be fellow students doing the theft, but your S shouldn’t get too down on the school itself about it. He now knows he needs to be much more careful with his stuff.</p>
<p>I hope he recovers some of it.</p>
<p>Wow, i hope he recovers the lost items. But idt its fair to make a generalization about a school like that.</p>
<p>The things kids do…
My oldest attended a college where kids left their dorm room ajar, and left their laptops in the library when they went to the bathroom.
And then when a library work study student, took one to lost & found, the owner got mad at her because she closed it & lost his work!
So my daughter got pretty lazy about keeping tabs on her stuff.
She learned her lesson when sitting at Tullys back home, when she left her iPod in her pocket of her coat which she left on her chair when she got up to get napkins to wipe up a spill.
She was shocked, absolutely shocked.</p>
<p>My other daughter on the other hand was well schooled in security, better than I in fact. I left my car locked in the high school parking lot for 5 min, while I ran up to stuff an envelope under the doors of the counseling office. ( school was out, D was at sports practice) other cars in parking lot, nobody standing around except for a dad on his cell phone.
In that time someone broke my window ( without triggering the alarm), and stole my purse.
By the time I called the police in the school office, they had used my debit card to buy three tanks of gas.
Last time I ever left anything in sight.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your replies and support. My son did report it to the campus police. Should he also report it to the Houston police? I guess the most difficult thing about his case is that it is certain that the custodian lady did the stealing. He and his lab members had notice the custodian lady had been acting suspiciously after the incident. However, there is no chance of catching her because she was gone by the time the campus police arrived. When my son mentioned about his suspicions about the custodian lady to his college administrator, he was given a lecture about not scrutinizing her as she has a family to feed. Its like putting salt on a wound. We think it is a repeated issue as my son also heard that there was at least one wallet stolen per month from another building.</p>
<p>Given that it sounds like the college is reluctant to go after the suspicious custodian, I’d be tempted to call the regular police. If she is innocent, the custodian will be fine. If she is not, having a family to feed is no excuse for stealing from students. Thefts from labs are not uncommon around here, and there have been inside job thefts at least once during my husband’s time where he currently teaches.</p>
<p>Depending on the design of the lab and the building, it may not be as secure as it seems, in that a non-insider thief may be able to get in easily (following someone in is a common way to get into “secure” areas, including dorms as well).</p>
<p>Small valuables should always stay in one’s pockets, rather than being left in a stealable bag or out in the open.</p>
<p>I would go ahead and have your son call the city of Houston police. However, I will be very surprised if they do anything. They rarely do. Thieves flourish in Houston because there are very few repercussions for committing crimes unless the police happen to be witnessing a crime themselves. Is it very unusual for them to do even the simplest of investigations or even to respond to calls in anything at all resembling a timely manner. On fact, make sure he has nothing for them to easily knock him for before he calls them. It is easier for them to write up an innocent citizen for a very minor violation than to investigate or stop a crime in progress even after being called. My only hope would be if Rice University got higher priority then the majority of the city. I am so sorry for your son’s loss.</p>
<p>Are there any cameras in the halls near that lab?</p>
<p>Thanks for all the replies. I will tell him to call the Houston police tomorrow. No, there is no camera in the lab. Actually only a total of 3 persons including my son use the locked back door during the office hour because everybody else comes through the front. My son was close to the front entrance at that time, he and other lab members will sure to notice if somebody come through the front door. Since the other student was accounted for, it leaves only one person in question. Also, no one has seen anyone loitering around the area. Furthermore, the custodians closet was next to the locked door, it is easy for her to conceal the stolen items. In addition to that, when asked by another student about the stolen items, she told him to check the dumpster. She also told my son that her purse was also got stolen. However, there is no police report on that and nobody seems to know anything about that. I found that to be very suspicious.</p>
<p>I am so sorry, concernparent2. I hope you can get to the truth of the matter and that your son gets his stuff back. What a shame they aren’t being more supportive of your son.</p>
<p>Sorry for your son’s loss. Agree that you should definitely report it to the police-- sooner rather than later. But as others have said theft unfortunately occurs at every college. </p>
<p>Is there any device in the backpack that can be tracked with GPS? Might be a way of locating the items.</p>
<p>My s had 2 bicycles stolen while at Rice, but as others have said, that can happen at any school.</p>
<p>Thanks again for all the replies. I am not blaming Rice for the theft, like most of the people in this forum said it could happen in any campus. I just realized that my title could lead to misunderstanding. We usually thought highly of Rice, its students and its faculties. My son had lost his valuable before, they were returned promptly by the students. I am usually very disappointed and angry about the irresponsible action of this custodian lady had lead to doubt and mistrust among the people that are working in the area. People begin to suspect each other. I believe the hesitation of authority to actively pursue the custodian lady has somehow encouraged her irresponsible behavior and ruin the wonderful experience of the others.</p>
<p>While the fingers seem to point to her, its probably best to let the powers that be look into it. I suppose you could contact the head of the facilities dept to express your concern about this employee, but even if she did take it, its probably no longer in that locker/closet you mentioned. The police will call the pawn shops if your son has the serial number of the laptop, calculator, etc…</p>
<p>If your son really wanted, he could set up a sting-- ie purposely leave a backpack in the lab with something that has a GPS/homing device to track down. Really not his place to do it, but its a thought. Hopefully the head of that lab is dealing with the administration on this issue.</p>
<p>I just realized that my title could lead to misunderstanding. I am not trying to make a generalization about Rice. I usually hold Rice in high regard. I am just very disappointed and angry about the irresponsible action of this custodian lady had led to doubt and mistrust among the people that are working in the area. People begin to suspect each other.</p>