Thefts Spark Controversy About Campus Security
BY NADINE AWADALLA @nadinetweetstoo AND
SARAH ABAZA @sarah_abaza
![Some security personnel say students need to be careful with their belongings and not leave them unattended [Archive]](http://www.auccaravan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_5806-1.17.27-PM-e1415098319187.jpg)
A series of thefts in recent weeks has raised questions about campus safety, despite security personnel confirming the use of surveillance cameras and other recording devices to monitor suspicious activity.
According to Colonel Ahmed Youssef, the internal patrol manager, there are 200 security cameras installed around campus.
“We have a variety of cooperative sources that are present in public spaces and their primary duty is to keep an eye out for such incidents… we also have other technical facilities [aside from cameras],” said Youssef.
However, despite the use of surveillance equipment, the Caravan has learned that there have been four to five reported cases of theft this semester that have either been resolved or are currently under investigation.
One of these incidents occurred earlier this month at the Theater and Film Club (TFC) booth in the Bartlett Plaza, when several students reported items stolen right out of their bags.
Passant Salem, Architectural Engineering junior and TFC member, reported that her laptop was taken from one end of the booth, while its charger was taken from her bag at the other end.
“I usually don’t leave my stuff unattended, but I literally sat not two meters away from the booth,” Salem said. Salem added that other colleagues also noticed their belongings missing from the booth around the same time.
The students reported the thefts, amounting to a total of two laptops, a tablet computer and a wallet, to the security office immediately.
Salem said that she thought there was a 50 percent chance the perpetrator was a student but she still had no way to be sure.
“At first, I suspected a worker because there wasn’t anyone else there,”she said. Youssef declined to comment on this particular case, as the investigation is still pending. He said that, in general, there are several measures taken to investigate a suspected theft, regardless of whether the suspect is a student or a worker.
“Workers are searched daily on their way out of campus. They are also assigned certain workspaces and those, in addition to their lockers, get searched,” said Youssef.
Youssef added that if no evidence is found of a worker’s guilt, security then moves to investigate
possible student involvement.
Youssef said that the role of security personnel includes ensuring the security of campus facilities, equipment and resources. He said that, as a primary security measure, students should pay closer attention to their personal belongings
