by Chloe Krommendyk–Starting the school year last August there were many reports immediately after students arrived on the campus of cars being broken into and things being stolen.
Not too long after that, there were also reports of students being approached by a community member asking personal questions. Senior Ashley Duncan even reported that at one point a man she didn’t know asked her to get into his car.
There have been many instances where students have had things stolen from their cars, and though it may not be as frequent now as it was at the beginning of the school year, it is still happening.
Just a week ago sophomore Isabelle Majeres’ car was broken into. The perpetrator rummaged through her car and took her purse, sunglasses, and counter checks which he tried to cash. On top of this, he even smoked in her car.
She had to contact the police and her bank, as she was stripped of her debit cards, passport, cash, and more.
Another student on campus, Chandler Todd, was a part of another situation where someone stole his entire car. Sioux City has never been known as a safe place, but the students should never feel like they are in danger here on campus, where they now live.
Brett Lyon, Director of Safety and Security, stated that these types of incidents have been happening all over Sioux City and at other college campuses. In most cases, vehicles are left unlocked, and this presents an opportunity for others to open the door and grab items. People leaving items in their vehicles such as cash, wallets/purses, laptops, etc. present opportunities for thieves. You are only protected by glass, so it is always best to take items with you.
Asked what steps the school has taken to improve student safety on campus, Lyon provided a number of examples. These include hiring Sioux City Night Patrol, an increase of SCPD patrols through campus, adding cameras facing the Pool Lot. Also, there are plans to install cameras covering the Apartment Lot, starting self-defense class back up, and improving lighting across campus by adding lights and making them brighter.
Some tips Lyon has for students to make them feel safer on campus are: be aware of your surroundings, walk in groups, call for an escort, take the provided self-defense class, lock your vehicles, and most importantly: If you see something, say something immediately. Don’t try to go viral on social media and then tell Safety and Security after the fact. Sometimes they found out about things weeks after the fact. It is hard to solve an issue if they don’t know about it.
Everyone needs to remember that safety starts with each individual. We are also a community that needs to look after each other. We need to look after ourselves and others to make sure our Morningside University community is always safe.
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