INITIAL ALERTEmail
RICE UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
TIMELY WARNING
The Rice University Police Department is alerting the campus community to a series of vehicle burglaries that have occurred on campus.
Five vehicles were broken into at approximately the same time in campus parking lots. A single person is likely responsible for the rash of recent car burglaries. While the number of thefts has been consistent compared to the previous year, seeing so many burglaries on campus at once is unusual.
In response, RUPD has increased patrols in parking lots, especially during late-night hours. RUPD is also planning a Night Owl Walk to determine if there is a need for additional lighting throughout campus, including parking areas.
Safety Recommendations:
- Always remember to lock your vehicle
- Hide valuables or remove them from your vehicle entirely
- Try to park in well-lit areas
- Be aware of your surroundings at all times
- Stay informed of campus alerts
- Report suspicious activity to RUPD at (713) 348-6000
This timely warning is issued in compliance with the Clery Act to alert the campus community about crimes that may pose a serious or continuing threat.
This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.
RUPD Chief Rodriguez's assessment that a single person was likely responsible indicates pattern analysis was used to connect the simultaneous break-ins
The acknowledgment that 'seeing so many burglaries on campus at once is unusual' reflects Rice's typically low crime rate as a small, gated private university
The Night Owl Walk initiative, where police walk the campus at night to assess lighting, represents a proactive environmental design approach to crime prevention (CPTED)
Rice's enrollment of approximately 4,500 students means a vehicle burglary alert reaches a much smaller and more tightly-knit community than similar alerts at large state universities