Multiple break-ins were reported over the semester break at City College, resulting in thefts from both the C building and Saville Theatre, according to campus police.
Sound equipment was stolen during the Saville Theatre burglary, the first crime to be reported to the authorities, and construction tools were taken from the workshop in room C-117A.
Rob Norberg, the theater’s tech director, claims that replacements for the sound equipment will cost approximately $15,000 and the workshop tools will cost about $5,000 to replace.
Besides monetary costs, ongoing theater productions have also been adversely affected.
“World Cultures is suffering,” said Norberg. “They’re still happening but are severely hindered.”
Norberg added that production of Jazz Live will also be affected and that they will most likely have to rent equipment for the Feb. 14 show.
According to Sgt. Ed Headtke from campus police, who’s seen a lot in his 30 years with the district, Saville Theatre seems to be targeted more frequently than other areas. He claims this could be due possibly in part to its location on the perimeter of the campus.
Headtke also claimed that only the workshop break-in exhibited signs of forced entry and suggested that this was able to be achieved because of its out of the way location as well.
According to Headtke, officers don’t patrol inside the buildings, and the radio and television personnel who work nearby weren’t able to see anything.
Since the thefts, doors to both the theater and the workshop have been reinforced with sturdier metal plating.
To help deter the occurrence of crimes such as these, campus police have been training a few of its officers in a program known as Crime Prevention through Environmental Design.
This multiple-week course aims to train officers to see environmental surroundings and conditions from a different perspective, with the idea of alleviating potential leverages would-be perpetrators could otherwise take advantage of.
However, only a small number of the police force have received training. Headtke claims that currently only three officers have received the training because its costly and time consuming, but there are plans for other officers to be trained in the future.
To help prevent crime on campus, Headtke urges students and faculty to be proactive and report all suspicions to campus police.
“If you have any concerns or see anything suspicious at all, call us,” said Headtke. “We’d rather come and find out its nothing than have more problems.”
To report a crime, call campus police dispatch at 619-388-6405.