According to Sevilay Arslan, staff member at Campus Security, it comes in waves. ‘At the start of the academic year we always receive more reports. It mostly happens to first-year students, who don’t yet realise it isn’t wise to leave belongings unattended, not even for a few minutes. They go to the loo or grab a coffee — and it’s already happened.’
Security has no clear picture of who is responsible. ‘UT is a public space, so anyone can walk in and out. That includes people with bad intentions who have nothing to do with UT. What’s clear is that the thieves know what they’re doing, as they manage to stay out of sight of our security cameras.’
There is little Campus Security can do beyond warning students. ‘We assist students in filing police reports if something is stolen, but prevention is still the best remedy.’
