Rusty Brumbaugh was a victim of one of 37 burglaries within the past two months, local law enforcement gives advice to lessen the chance of property being stolen.
While walking home after a night out with friends, Rusty Brumbaugh got a text from his roommate stating that their house had been broken into.
Brumbaugh, an Ohio University senior studying strategic communications, came home on Aug. 20 to find his two roommates talking to a police officer, and more than a thousand dollars worth of video game equipment missing from his house.
Brumbaugh and his roommates were victim to one of 37 burglaries reported to the Athens Police Department between July 1 and Aug. 21, according to a APD press release.
As Bobcats move into their newly rented houses and apartments, they’re becoming victims of theft too.
“I was more upset at the fact that there are people out there that are going around looking to harm others by taking advantage of them for their own personal gain,” Brumbaugh said.
In the release from APD, Chief Tom Pyle said his department is working on the cases to the extent possible. He also mentioned some of the investigations resulted in the collection of DNA evidence, and is being analyzed.
Brumbaugh and his roommates lost $1,385 worth of video game items, including an Xbox One, Xbox 360, a Playstation 4, controllers and video games for the corresponding systems, according an APD report.
Brumbaugh collected the serial numbers for the stolen items and gave them to APD, something that could help locate the items.
Athens County Sheriff Rodney Smith said this is an essential part of his department solving a burglary, stating the items sometimes show up in pawn shops and salvage yards.
“We enter all the missing items into a database, that way, if the property comes up with have the serial number,” Smith said.
Brumbaugh said other smaller losses include medication, four book bags and a pair of his roommates shoes. He went on to explain the thieves didn’t touch the laptops sitting out, or the cash laying throughout the house.
“It seemed to me like it wasn’t their first time doing it,”Brumbaugh said “They go in knowing what they want, knowing what they’re gonna sell quickly and take things that are hard to trace.”
While Brumbaugh spoke to the police officer, the officer informed him that his house was a repeat house, and that the last incident took place a year or two ago.
“Once (burglars) notice people coming in is when they think it’s a good time to hit,” Brumbaugh said “(people) might be new to the house and not know ways to protect it.”
Brumbaugh said the burglar(s) entered his house through an unlocked window in a first floor bedroom, where the window is above head height, so the burglars had to climb in some how. Since the incident, Brumbaugh has replaced the front porch light on his house.
Brumbaugh said leaving a light on is essential for new and old renters so if someone walking along see’s something going on, they’re more likely to pass up the house.
Smith said mowing the lawn, maintaining less shrubbery around the house and keeping windows and doors locked can lessen the chance of a house being broken into.
“Make sure everything is tidy,” Smith said.
While burglaries happen within the county and city of Athens, on-campus theft is a prevalent problem too, according to Lieutenant Tim Ryan from Ohio University Police Department.
“Generally speaking, if you keep your valuable property with you and lock your door when you leave your room, you can significantly reduce your chance of being a victim of a theft offense,” Ryan said “Most thefts are crimes of opportunity.”
When students leave their valuables such as a laptop, cell phone or iPod unattended they heighten their risk of theft.
“(It) happens in seconds,” Ryan said.
@Fair3Julia
