Facebook has a new application - but this one might help students recover stolen items.
This week, the University of North Texas will begin its marketing campaign promoting a new Facebook application that will allow students to register their property online, as well as report stolen belongings.
The application, called "Trace," asks members to pre-register their valuables, such as laptops, cell phones, televisions and other personal property.
Students create personal, private portfolios of their belongings, and then can choose to post a message to a group of people - or an entire university or all of Facebook - listing the details of a lost or stolen product.
The logic, said Ken Bouche, vice president of Trace, one of the partner companies that created the application, is that if students document their property - including serial numbers and model numbers - before it gets stolen, they will be able to provide the police with the necessary information if a theft occurs.
"With that information, if we find it, we will get it back to you" said Jim Coffey, captain of the UNT police department, which has partnered with the application.
Trace, which Bouche said is the largest global database for lost and stolen property, joined with Mythings.com, a Web site that allows users to store receipts, warranties and other documents online.
The company was working with Texas' state Department of Public Safety, working to put all public records online. UNT found out about the company and decided to pursue a partnership.
The Facebook application, designed by Trace and Mythings.com employee Dina Vainer, is "the first useful Facebook application," she said.
"It is quick and easy . it takes about 15 seconds," said Bouche, adding that he has given information about the application to more than 1,000 colleges thus far, but was unsure if Penn was included in that group.
Penn's Division of Public Safety is in the middle of a theft-awareness campaign, and DPS officials said they have spoken with members of the UNT police department about the Facebook application.
Penn's Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush wrote in an e-mail that DPS will "look forward to seeing the results of this venture."
Rush added that Penn's Campus Express program already allows students, faculty and staff to register property with the Penn Police.
Students said a Facebook application like Trace could be helpful.
"The idea of putting up my personal property information online would initially make me wary, but overall it seems like a really good idea." College junior Penina Braffman said.
