Madison's downtown area is once again under scrutiny due to a recent increase in burglaries of student laptops, iPods and other electronic devices.
According to Madison Police, over 25 laptops have been stolen since the beginning of the semester. Also, in the last two weeks, 11 different burglaries of electronics have been reported. Nearly all the theft has stemmed from downtown within student-laden areas.
MPD Public Information Officer Mike Hanson said the police are doing all they can to help the victims of the burglaries, but noted that ""it's still an ongoing investigation; there haven't been any arrests made.""
Electronic devices, such as laptops and DVDs, make easy targets for thievery because of their relatively small size. Hanson said citizens, students especially, should take extra precautions to make sure their valuables are not stolen.
""It's a combination of opportunities of open windows and unlocked doors,"" he said. ""It takes very little effort to swipe [a laptop] and get away quickly.""
However, some residents of the downtown area tend to disagree with the police's philosophy on stopping crime. UW-Madison junior Meaghan Cayemberg lives on Miffin Street and said she thought these burglaries occurred during house parties and that the police are more worried about ""busting underage drinkers"" than some reports of theft.
Cayemberg did, however, acknowledge that numerous students own laptops and iPods, but also pointed out the obvious that it is ""common sense"" not to leave valuables unattended. ""If left alone, they most likely are going to be swiped,"" she said.
The police released a few tips on how to ""protect your possessions,"" some of which were as simple as making sure all doors and windows are locked. Others were as complex as creating a sign-in system or video surveillance within buildings.
The recent reported thefts are not the only task the Madison Police have endured thus far in the semester. September saw a series of assaults and muggings, as well as moped theft.
