Police plan to perform extra housing checks
The University of Pennsylvania Police Department will be keeping an eye on local residences as a part of the "Special Checks of Residential Properties" program, while students are away during spring break next week.
Police officers will check the residence of anyone who has signed up for the program at least three times a day for any signs of burglary. Anyone living in an off-campus residence is eligible.
"We conduct an exterior check, ensuring doors and windows and fire escapes" are secure, Police Chief Tom Rambo said.
Police will only enter a property on their list if it appears to be insecure.
"If there's an open property, we notify a supervisor, go in and check," Deputy Chief of Police Michael Fink said.
The scheme was implemented in the late 1990s after crime analyses showed that burglaries rose during vacation periods when students are less likely to be around.
"We interviewed some burglars who only came down to the Penn area when they knew it was break," Rambo said.
The number of burglaries in the Penn area has dropped in recent years. Rambo attributes that partly to the Special Checks program.
"It increases the level of uniformed officers around vacant locations," Rambo said. He added that having a visible police presence was vital in lowering crime levels.
Students can sign up for the program via the Penn Public Safety Web site.
-- Farouk Samad
