Guest Column - Taking precautions is a very important part of crime prevention

With spring upon us and the semester close to an end, it makes for a great time for crimes of opportunities.

These are crimes that occur when people become careless.

For example, these careless people don’t lock their rooms, place items in cubbies at the Student Recreation Center and leave books or other items unattended in the Mountainlair.

We would like to think these crimes wouldn’t be committed, but that is simply not the case. As a society, we are experiencing a rocky economy, increase in expensive electronic gadgets and decline in integrity. Therefore, if opportunity shows itself, then even honest people are tempted.

While the West Virginia University Police make every attempt to help members of the WVU community stay safe by offering a variety of free options, some members choose not to participate.

One of these programs is "Operation ID," which allows police to mark valuable property with a symbol that is specific to each person and register serial numbers and important information.

In the event that the property is stolen, the police have the necessary information to further an investigation.

The police can mark textbooks in a way that does not decrease their value. The bookstores in the area work well with the police and allow us to access information on the seller of books. This assists in locating a textbook thief.

Another program is "Operation Lock-out," a walking tour of all dorm floors by police with a residential assistant.

When any rooms are found open and unattended, the doors are closed and locked, making residents go to the front desk to gain reentry.

These programs are not designed to be an inconvenience, but to make community members think.

While working to complete class assignments and writing 20-page papers, stop and take a breath once in a while and make sure you are taking the time to be safe.