is Penn safe?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
21

<p>If you look at the crime log in the DP, there have been a lot more than 1 laptop thefts - 1 a day is more like it. Just because it hasn't happened to you or any of your friends doesn't mean it isn't happening. If you minimize this problem you are fooling yourself.</p>

<p>Here is a portion of one weeks crime log from the DP, at a time when most students weren't even around:</p>

<p>July 29 - </p>

<p>Burglary</p>

<p>A 19-year-old male student reported that an unknown person removed a laptop from his bedroom on the 3900 block of Pine Street at about 5 p.m.</p>

<p>Robbery</p>

<p>July 25 - A male Penn employee reported that he was robbed at point of simulated weapon at about 1:45 p.m. while in his car in front of the 7-Eleven on the 100 block of South 38th Street. About $1,600 in cash was taken from him, and a 17-year-old juvenile was arrested in connection with the incident.</p>

<p>July 27 - A 38-year-old woman unaffiliated with Penn was approached by a man who tried, and failed, to take her pocketbook on the 4000 block of Pine Street at about 5 p.m. The suspect fled by car.</p>

<p>Theft</p>

<p>July 25 - An unknown suspect allegedly removed GPS devices from two separate vehicles in Penn Tower Parking at about 3 p.m. The victims, a man, 50, and a women, 46, are unaffiliated with the University.</p>

<p>July 26 - A 28-year-old male employee of the University reported that an unknown person removed his laptop bag from the McNeil Building at about 12:15 p.m. The bag was in an unsecured office.</p>

<p>July 26 - A 30-year-old female employee of the University reported that an unknown person removed credit cards and $65 in cash from her purse at about 3 p.m. The purse was in a locked office.</p>

<p>July 28 - A 48-year-old woman unaffiliated with Penn reported that an unknown suspect removed her laptop from Van Pelt Library at about 5:45 p.m. The laptop was unsecured.</p>

<p>July 29 - Two unknown suspects were observed fleeing the Gap on the 3400 block of Walnut Street at about 5 p.m. without rendering payment for items.</p>

<p>Vandalism</p>

<p>July 29 - A male student, 43, reported that an unknown suspect damaged the right side canvas of his Jeep on the 4100 block of Sansom Street at about 3:20 p.m</p>

<p>Again, no reason not to come to Penn but a good reason not to leave your belongings unattended in the library even for a minute.</p>

22

<p>Exactly, most of those crimes were preventable.</p>

23

<p>I'm not sure about the "preventable" thing if you mean just keeping your possessions locked up. Out of the 9 crimes listed above, I count two based on things being "unsecured". It's hard to say how the other 7 could have been prevented by simple measures.</p>

24

<p>After I wake up I grab my hidden wallet (since my normal wallet usually gets stolen in the middle of the night), go downstairs to grab some breakfast (after decontaminating it, since people like to lace things with some rather unsavory substances), and then I take a shower wearing protective gear to avoid the insanely high temperature spikes that would surely melt your skin off.</p>

<p>Then, after leaving my dorm I dodge gunfire on the way to class, being sure to say hello to the prostitutes on the street corners. If I am lucky I will only be mugged as few as two times before I sit down for lecture.</p>

25

<p>^legend doesn't graduate till spring 2009. campus won't be safe till then.</p>

<p>....i walked around philly at 3 AM with over $100 cash, an ipod, and a cell phone. nothing happened to me (I wasn't alone, but with two other scrawny guys). luck and intelligence can keep most anyone safe. there's bad stuff that happens on every college campus that you can't prevent. students can go through 4+ years at penn without incident while some dartmouth student might have the ability to be mugged several times in rural new hampshire.</p>

26

<p>I hear the prostitutes are going to be moving to Locust Walk this year. That'll be a huge timesaver for a quickie between classes</p>

27

<p>dude that'd be sweet if you could pick up a hooker in the middle of campus. oh wait...</p>

28

<p>College campuses are really bad places for hooking - they have to compete with all those people who are give it away for free after a few beers. If you see someone who looks like a hooker on the Penn campus, either she is there to steal someone's expensive pocketbook or she is really a Penn student who is a fashion victim and only LOOKS like a hooker.</p>

29

<p>Bump Bump!</p>