Return to Main Menu

by Cpl. Michael Anderson, Public Safety

On Saturday, April 10, at approximately 6:45 p.m., an employee left a bookbag in a conference room in the main hospital.

At about midnight, as the shift ended, the employee found the bookbag had been opened and the contents were disturbed. The employee realized the following day that more than $250 cash had been taken from the bookbag.

Also on Saturday, April 10, at approximately 8:30 p.m. an employee walked in on a person who was on the floor rummaging through a purse in a staff break room in the main hospital. After the employee asked the suspect what she was doing, the suspect got up, washed her hands and left the area. The suspect was described as a black female wearing a number of gold chains. Public Safety was notified and responded to the area but the suspect had already left.

A check of the interior and the exterior of the hospital turned up one person who fit the description but she was not the suspect. Although nothing was taken from the purse, had the employee not surprised the woman, she would have been able to complete the theft.

On Wednesday, April 7, a car that was parked in M lot (UDC building) was broken into. The window was broken and a cellular phone was taken.

Remember that all personal items (particularly purses and bookbags) should be locked up while at work. If there is no place to lock up items, leave them in your car out of public view, preferably in the trunk.

Also, during the past few months, the Department of Public Safety has been receiving an increased number of calls concerning suspicious persons.

As you know, the community isthe eyes and ears of every police department and MUSC is no exception. We thank everyone for the effort and hope to see it continue. Just as a reminder, below is a list of information that will be asked of you if and when you call:

• Physical description, race, clothing and hair color. Also, is the suspect carrying anything such as a bag? Look for anything that will make the person stand out.
• What is the person doing?
• Where is the person located?
• If the person has left, which way did they go and how long ago did they leave?

Public Safety has the ability to be literally anywhere on campus within seconds from the time they receive a call.

However, considering the time it takes for you to get to a phone, call Public Safety, give the required information and then for the call to be dispatched, those seconds can increase to minutes. If responding officers know what direction the suspect went and how long suspect has been gone, it greatly enhances their ability to catch the person.

The Department of Public Safety also has an extensive closed circuit television system to monitor the campus which can be utilized in some situations if there is sufficient information about the incident to do so.

Please report any suspicious activities or persons immediately to the Department of Public Safety at 792-4196.