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GUARDIAN STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
ISSUE 824 October 23 2006
CARDIFF’S STUDENT WEEKLY
ING W I T H TH E M I ND ME S S I N G W I T H T H E MI N D ME S S I N G WIT H T Hfree E word M IN- EST. D 1972 M ES S IN G WITH TH E M I ND M E S S I N G W I T H T H E MI N D ME S S I N G W IT H T H E M IN D M ES S IN G WIT H THE M I ND M E SSI NG W I T H T H E MI N D ME S S I N G W I T H T H E M IN D M ES S IN G WIT H T H E MIN D M E SSI NG W I TH T H E MI N D ME S S I N G W I T H T H E M IN D M ES S IN G WIT H T H E M IN D MESSING MES SI NG W I TH TH E MI N D ME S S I N G W I T H T H E MI N D M ES S IN G WIT H T H E M IN D M ES S ING W I T H TH E M I ND ME S S I N G W I T H T H E MI N D ME S S I N G WIT H T H E M IN D M ES S IN G WITH WITH TH E M I ND M E S S I N G W I T H T H E MI N D ME S S I N G W IT H T H E M IN D M ES S IN G WIT H THE M I ND M ETHE SSI NG W I T H T H E MI N D ME S S I N G W I T H T H E M IN D M ES S IN G WIT H T H E Pages MIN D M E SSI NG W I TH T H E MI N D ME S S I N G W I T H T H E M IN D M ES S IN G WIT H T H E M IN D MIND MES SI NG W I TH TH E MI N D ME S S I N G W I T H T H E MI N D M ES S IN G WIT T H E 15 M IN D M ES S 14H and ING W I T H TH E M I ND ME S S I N G W I T H T H E MI N D ME S S I N G WIT H T H E M IN D M ES S IN G WIT H T H E M I N D M E S S I N G W I T H T H E M I N D M E S S I N G W I T H T H E M I N D M E S S I N G W I T H
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Assault in taxi Peeping-tom in Cathays Taff trail mugging Indecent exposure in Cathays garden Burglary on Colum Road in early hours Students woken by burglar on Merthyr Street at 8am
Helen Thompson News Editor CARDIFF STUDENTS have been the victims of an epidemic of crime ranging from theft to indecent assault since the beginning of this term. The alarming number of recent incidents suggests that students are not taking enough care of themselves and their property. Police are urging students to stay safe by looking out for each other on nights out and using their common sense to make their homes secure. Burglaries aimed at student houses have been common, but could often be prevented with extra caution. Two robberies, reported on page four of this issue, were made easy for criminals when inhabitants left the windows or curtains of their bedrooms open. A mugging that took place on the Taff Trail at the beginning of October has reignited fears that the route is unsafe for pedestrians, especially at night. The trail is notorious for flashers and muggings.
DANGEROUS: Taff trail PC Bob Keohane, student liaison officer, has urged caution as the clocks are going back soon, and students should not walk along the path alone after dark. Sex crimes against students have also been reported. One student has alleged that she was indecently assaulted by a taxi driver when on the way home from a night out. This is not an isolated event, as there have been reports over past two years of unlicensed taxi drivers committing sex attacks on passengers. Female students have also become victims of voyeurism, with one man indecently exposing himself in a student’s back garden. Another peeping tom specifically targeted nursing students. His love of spying on naked women was described as an ‘addiction’. There is also concern that students are easy targets during a night out. Drunk students are more vulnerable to assault and theft, and so should stick together when out on the town. PC Keohane said: “There are 35,000 students in Cardiff, and of course we want them to enjoy them-
selves, but they need to be aware of the precautions they should take against crime. “These include keeping bags with them when in clubs, never leaving drinks unattended, walking on welllit routes and only travelling in licensed taxis.” Turn to page two for an extended report on the South Wales Police’s ‘Be Safe’ campaign. Turn to page four for reports on burglaries and voyeurism.
Photo: James Perou
CRIME WAVE
Photo: Ed Salter
Students fall victim to rising attacks and burglaries
Broken window at Merthyr Road burglary