Two incidents within the last three weeks have some George Washington University Law students concerned that campus crime may be on the rise.

The first incident occurred on September 9, 2009, when GW Police responded to a report of a computer stolen from room E412 of the Jacob Burns Law Library. According to the GWPD, a student observed the computer earlier in the day but found it was missing when he returned. The tower computer apparently remains in the room for presentation and class use, but that day the room had been left unsecured. In their investigation, police have determined that the crime likely occurred sometime between 2:45 pm and 5 pm that day. They have no suspects at this time.

One week later police were again called to the Burns Law Library to investigate a report of threats against a staff member. According to police, an unidentified male attempted to enter the library after normal business hours. When he was subsequently refused entry, the man became irate and used threatening language toward the staff member.

GW Police emphasize that the two events are unrelated.

While such incidents may seem to indicate a rise in crime on campus, GWPD Chief of Police Dolores Stafford points out that this year's theft crime statistics are actually consistent with those of previous years. Indeed, a review of these statistics, available on the Police Department's website, reveals that theft and other crime rates have remained the same or decreased in the past year.

Nevertheless, students should remain vigilant and always take proper precautions. "Never leave valuables unattended, lock up bicycles and register your bike at GWPD, and carry only small amounts of cash," Stafford says. "Report any suspicious people loitering or the theft of equipment and valuables to the GWPD." Finally, a free GWPD program called "Operation Identification" can help students to protect their personal property and reduce the overall rate of thefts on campus.

If you have any information on either of the two incidents mentioned above, please contact the GW Police Department. You can also visit their website at www.gwired.gwu.edu/upd for further information on Operation Identification and other programs.