A published version (which is the original version) of this article can be found here on the Central Florida Future’s website.
About a dozen attacks and robberies in the Full Sail University area prompted University of Central Florida Police to e-mail UCF students a warning and safety tips earlier this month. Theft being the most common crime reported in the UCF area, UCF Police have made it a priority to keep students aware of ways to keep themselves and their property safe.
Local crime brought to the attention of students
A late night walk or bike ride home from night-time classes, or even a moment outside for a private cell phone conversation after the sun goes down seem like harmless common activities of a college student.
To a thief or robber such activities mean opportunity, and according to UCF Police and the Orange County Sheriff’s Crime Analysis department, similar situations have led to about a dozen robberies and attacks in the Full Sail area since Dec. 1, 2009. Several of those attacked included Full Sail students.
No such crimes have happened to UCF students this year, said UCF Police’s Media Relations Coordinator Cpl. James Roop. However, in an e-mail alert earlier this month, Roop warned students about the local robberies and offered safety tips to help them avoid becoming victims of said crimes.
“Students tend to be more involved in their personal activities than their personal safety,” said UCF Police Chief Richard Beary. “We need to try to continually remind [students] of safety tips and being aware of their surroundings.”
When Beary, who ordered Roop to send out the alert e-mail, received information about the Full Sail robberies and attacks, he said he felt it was important for UCF students to know about because that area is still a part of their community.
“What I saw was a pattern of crime,” Beary said. “We have students that live all over the east Orange County area so I just wanted to make sure they were aware to keep precaution to avoid becoming victims.”
How students become victims of theft
According to Roop, though no one has reported robberies to UCF Police this year, in the past the most commonly reported crime in the UCF community has been theft and more serious forms of it such as burglary.
Click here to see what some UCF students have to say about theft and safety in the UCF area.
Roop said that students end up becoming victims in several ways including not being aware of their surroundings. Students often allow themselves to be distracted by listening to their iPods and talking on their phones, he said.
Click here for safety information provided by UCF Police and tips from Cpl. James Roop.
A Full Sail student talks about being attacked
Being out alone late at night is another thing that can put students in danger, Roop said.
Due to the late night and early morning classes that Full Sail students are required to take it is difficult for them to avoid being out late at night, said Francis Thomas, a Full Sail graphic design student who is among the robbery victims.
Thomas was robbed on Dec. 16, 2009 between the corridors of two buildings in the University Walk Apartments complex. He was walking home from a class that usually ends around 1 a.m. but let out early around 9:50 p.m. that day.
“It was cold and it was dark,” Thomas said. While walking to his apartment Thomas said he heard footsteps behind him. “I just assumed it was a friend of mine and so I turned around and as soon as I turned I got tackled.”
According to the Orange County Police report, a black male wearing a black hooded sweat shirt and black pants tackled Thomas and began to kick and punch him. Thomas said a second suspect was also hitting him and trying to take his bag at the same time.
He said he was not sure if the men had weapons on them, so he did what he could to avoid finding out.
“I was trying to decide whether to fight back,” Thomas said. “I wanted to make sure I didn’t get seriously hurt, so I just curled up in a little ball and protected my head. I knew exactly what they were after because they didn’t ask me for money or anything; the one guy just went straight for the back pack.”
He said the men successfully removed his back pack and ended up running away with his cell phone, his laptop, and some headphones.
Thomas was supposed to graduate in January, but now he must wait until May and use the time to recreate the graduation portfolio work that was saved on the stolen laptop.
“It took a day to sink in that it wasn’t just the laptop that got stolen, it was the work and the time I put into the things I was proud of,” Thomas said.
He said that this was actually his third time experiencing theft in the Full Sail area. The first time his Xbox was stolen from his residence, and six months later his bike was stolen.
The other attacks on Full Sail students were similar to Thomas’ and resulted in the loss of several laptops. Thomas said that he doesn’t think his school is unsafe, but the fact that students have to walk around late at night with computers on their backs is a problem. He suggests other students start getting rides or finding safe means of transportation.
“If Full Sail is going to have students out at one in the morning with computers they should provide some sort of transportation or shuttle service,” Thomas said.
Full Sail’s public relations office declined to be interviewed about the recent robbery situations.
Map of the location of eight of the attacks the have happened around Full Sail since December 1:
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