Morgantown Police provide peace of mind during winter break

The Morgantown Police Department offered West Virginia University students away from home peace of mind during winter break with vacant property security checks.

Morgantown Police caught four individuals in the act of breaking in during the holidays by performing random drive-by surveillance checks and physically surveying the homes of students who signed up for the service, according to Chief Ed Preston.

Preston said the four cases are still under investigation at this time.

"It's unfortunate because we anticipate the victims are students that may not even know they're victims yet," Preston said. "These routine checks provide visibility and let people know we're out there. Our hope is that people are less likely to break the law if they're able to see our presence in the community."

Preston said students leaving home for long periods of time should follow simple crime prevention tips such as having a friend check their mail, since perpetrators often identify potential victims by overflowing mailboxes.

"Even though these tips are simple, they're important. Time after time we see residents not following them, and something as simple as keeping a light on or having someone trim your shrubbery can make a big difference."

City Manager Terrence Moore has been working closely with local law enforcement to keep the campus community safe, and he helped make the property checks a part of day-to-day operations.

"We have a community oriented policing model here that benefits the community as a whole, and we work hard to provide relief and comfort to students as much as we can," Moore said. "The purpose of procedures like these is to ensure safety of students and all residents as well as keep crime at a minimum, and discourage any unlawful activity by promoting a wide community presence."

Moore said issues like these are just another aspect of serving a campus community – something he's used to.

Before coming to Morgantown, he served as the city manager of Las Cruces, New Mexico, home of New Mexico State University.

"It's definitely different offering leadership and guidance in a university community as opposed to an average community. Thus, the need for more collaborative efforts with local law enforcement," Moore said. "Our model has been designed to cater to the needs of our community, and we recognize it as a university community with a large, diverse population."

Students can make a request for a vacant property security check at www.Morgantown.com by selecting the Online Services tab.