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by Katrina L. Crawford ithin minutes, a person can become a victim. Ask any of the victims in the rash of break-ins which occurred near campus in the fall. From Sept. 5 to Oct. 30, students reacted with fear and frustration to each new report of a break-in. In all, more than 11 reported break-ins and five additional ones took place throughout the local community in the areas directly surrounding campus. Police were unable to apprehend the culprit who was charged with offenses including robbery and rape during the break-ins, so school officials publicly cautioned students to take special precautions during those months. "We had a policeman look over our house to make sure we would be OK," said senior Tiffany Stonebraker, whose house was broken into between Dec. 23 and Dec. 25. "We were probably safe from the rapist, but we weren't safe from whoever wanted in our house. They broke one window, came in another and left out the front door." Many students were very careful about always locking doors and leaving extra lights on, and most adjusted their walking patterns through and around campus to avoid dimly-lit areas. Others tried to stay in pairs while moving through the community after sunset. After senior Shannon Placek's apartment was robbed, she and her roommates were especially cautious. "We lock our door constantly now," she said. "Before, we would leave our door open if we were just running down the complex or we'd leave it open in nice weather. Now, it's always locked." Stonebraker also learned the hard way, but finally changed her habits for her safety. "The door is always locked, a light is always on. My roommates are still nervous—one has an electric shocker next to her bed and the other has a can of pepper spray and a crowbar close by," she said. Dianne Ledger, assistant to the Dean of the Office for Women's Affairs, was one official who encouraged students to take extra safety precautions. "[I advised students to] ... not be afraid—just pay more attention to everything around you and be more diligent [in taking safety precautions]," she said. Richard McKaig, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, while also warning students of the danger, tried to dissuade alarm. He said fear was a normal reaction to unsettling news, but students should not allow it to become counterproductive. He emphasized the need for safety precautions,but said students could help themselves out even more by being aware of what was going on around them."This is an con tin ued
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