If you live in a dorm...

[CHScrew]

I just read a thread about someone getting their Ipod lifted out of their dorm room. My brother had is $3,000 laptop stolen two years ago and I wanted to warn people about this.

I've visited many colleges and you always hear the same thing, "the dorms are cool, but watch your stuff or it will get lifted." Now, I know this might seem a little extreme, but I would suggest getting a lock box, or some type of locking container if you live in a dorm. My brother goes to WVU and once a month they have "fire drills." During the drill, everyone must exit the building and leave all the doors open. What happens is, some people stay behind and wait until everyone has left their floor, then they go and steal stuff from other rooms. They just walk right in because everyone has to leave the doors open, and when the alarm rings, nobody thinks to put their stuff away. They just drop what they are doing and leave. Plus, unless you know your roommate personally from school or growing up, how can you tell that they, or their friends won't lift your stuff.

With all the new technology out there, almost every student has a laptop, cell phone, Ipod, digital camera, ect... even your books. I can't tell you how many people I know who's book went missing around the end of the semester, Right around the time where students are selling them for anywhere from $50 - 200 bucks.

Now I don't mean that you have to have a huge vault in the corner with everything you own in it. Just watch you stuff, because a lot of people have sticky fingers.

[SocksOnly]

That's crazy. I mean, there's not much you can do if your roomate can get into your room (aside from locking all valubles into a locker or something). I also think it's sad that people have to resort to that sort of thing these days.

[lightbyfire]

We have problems with that at Georgetown too, although we also have problems with people staying in the room and waiting to rob the person directly when they return. always lock your doors no matter what sort of establishment you live in. Some schools provide drawers that have a ring to put a padlock on. (you may want to install one yourself if you take it back off at the end of the year)

roomates are dangerous, not because they steal your stuff, but because they can leave your room unlocked. it only takes one mistake to loose your stuff.

[punktech]

people at my school only go into your room and lift your stuff as a form of personal revenge, if you piss of the wrong person, that expensive necklace or ring or whatever that you tresure might just go missing if you leave your room unlocked. i personally leave my room unlocked, i hang with a crowd that has better ways to get revenge than theft (ie sharpie wars and other tricks you can play on someone at a party)

[Eboy87]

I've since ordered a safe, and keep my sister's iPod mini (thanks for letting me borrow it), digital camera, external hard disk, wallet, keys, phone, all the valuables in it. The stuff I don't want stolen but doesn't fit in the safe i took home over thanksgiving.

I know when we all first moved in and were told about stuff getting stolen, we all were thinking, "not gonna happen to me." But we live on the social floor where everyone props opent their doors, and sometimes my roommate leaves it open when he goes to class. I come back and find the door wide open.

Guys and girls, don't thake the "it won't happen to me" attitude, because there will be someone there to meet or excceed your expectations. Lock up your valuables. It may seem stupid at the time, but I guarntee it'll save you a lot of time later.

Oh, and don't leave guitars laying around. I put my acoustic down to go to the bathroom, and heard a huge crash as soon as I stepped into the water closet; my roommate and his friend were horsing around and knocked over my electric and my acoustic. Now there's a very nice dent just below the pickguard, think almost to the point of Willie Nelson. So, keep guitars in the cases.

[soundlight]

One of the main reasons I was willing to pay the extra $100/semester for a single room was that I already didn't trust roomates going in to college. My roomate's brother at a summer program that I went to before swiped my brand new $50 watch from my room, and I've never seen it since. So, now I have a single, and I always lock it (even when just going to the bathroom, and I always lock my windows, and never leave them open when I leave my room. I also usually keep my iPod nano on my person at all times that it's not charging.

[Annie]

I've had that problem too, which in Small Town Utah is saying something, but then again, my roommates and I were suspecting it was one of our other roommates. When you're living in close quarters with someone who you think is taking your stuff - now that's scary.

[Dani]

I go to a Christian University and my camera was stolen out of my room, and I was just down the hall! I lock my door all the time now, even if I am just on the other end of the hall talking to someone

[SHARYNF]

Sad but this type of stuff is way too common.
A few hidden cameras/recorder might get the thief, and serve as a warning. Problem is by the time you stash your stuff in this safe, if something seriously went wrong it could cost you your life.

Sharyn