On Wednesday, Jan. 27, at approximately 8 a.m., a man approached an employee who had just parked her vehicle in parking garage II. As the employee opened the door and was about to exit the vehicle, the man walked up to the car and stated “if you don't give me your money, I'm going to cut you.”

Although the man did not show a weapon, he did have his hand in his jacket pocket indicating that he may have been armed.

The employee then put her purse up on the front passenger seat of the car, the man then leaned across her, grabbed the purse and ran away.

After the man left the immediate area, the woman used her car horn to get the attention of other employees in the area.

While incidents such as this and another on Feb. 2 have rarely occurred at MUSC in the past, they prove that we are not immune to the criminal activity that occurs more frequently outside the university. In response to this incident, Public Safety has increased the already frequent number of patrols of the parking garage.

However, this action alone will not prevent incidents such as these. The participation of the MUSC community in conjunction with law enforcement is key to the deterrence of criminal activity at the university. The Department of Public Safety is asking that students and employees take the following precautions not just here at the university, but at all times:

• Be aware of your surroundings. When in a parking garage or a parking lot, take a look around before you exit your vehicle. If you see something or someone that makes you uncomfortable, leave the area.
• Keep all doors to your vehicle locked until you are ready to get out.
• Do not park next to vans with no windows or other vehicles that you cannot see into.
• Don't be afraid to contact Public Safety if you feel that the situation warrants it. When in doubt, call.
• If possible, do not walk to or from your car alone. People who walk in isolated areas alone are more likely to be attacked than those who walk in groups of two or more.

The Department of Public Safety can provide a security escort if you do not feel safe about walking to your vehicle. Call 792-4196 to arrange for this service.

Chief Wiley: Awareness vital to safety on campus

In spite of WCSC-TV Channel 5's best efforts, two robberies in a week do not constitute a “crime wave.” Though the Department of Public Safety is concerned about the victim's in each of these incidents, no one was seriously injured and an arrest has been made in one of the two incidents. Public Safety has at it's disposal considerable resources dedicated to the successful resolution of such activities. Though we prefer to prevent criminal activity on campus, Public Safety's clearance rate, when such crimes occur, is extremely high.

Patients, staff, students, and visitors can be assured that every effort will be made to first prevent criminal activity and in the instance that it does occur resolve it by identifying those responsible and charge them for the appropriate violation of law. We are reminded that a collaborative effort between Public Safety and our customers, the MUSC community, is vital in ensuring a safe work environment.

Question or comments can be sent to <psafety@musc.edu>. Report any and all suspicious activity to Public Safety at 792-4196 and help make our work place safe and secure.