Castleton is still a safe place

I am a very trusting person. Some (including my mom) would call me too trusting. So far, my forgetting to lock my car doors, walking alone at night and leaving my backpack unattended on occasion has not gotten me into trouble. There are times, however, that I stop and realize that the world is not as safe as I’d like to imagine. Hearing of the car break-ins on campus a few weeks ago was one of those times.

Within the first few weeks of school there was a total of 14 car break-ins.  In some situations things were taken, such as an Ipod from one vehicle, but in others the only evidence was a broken window or damaged door. It has been rumored that the perpetrator was looking for drugs, which would explain why he or she did not take GPSs or other valuable items from some vehicles. Even though not much was actually stolen, most everyone I talked to about the incidents say they feel less safe and aren’t as comfortable as they were before.

According to the crime statistics published by Public Safety, there were 13 cases of burglary in 2012 and only seven in 2013. While higher than recent years, 14 doesn’t seem too outrageous. Then you realize this is 14 in a matter of weeks. Who knows how high the number could be for the entire year?     

Being that it was at the very beginning of a new semester, this was a first impression of Castleton for many new and transfer students. They had not yet experienced how friendly and safe of a place Castleton is. In their first three weeks, cars got broken in to and someone was supposedly drugged at a party. This sounds like a pretty unsafe school.

I want to tell anyone that feels unsafe, that Castleton is one of the least dangerous universities you will ever find. Director of Public Safety Keith Molinari, or almost anyone on this campus, will tell you the same thing. You never need to look far to find someone who cares about you and will help you out when needed. I have never

"You never need to look far to find someone cares about you and willl help you out when needed."

– Catherine Twing

worried about walking across campus alone, even as a woman, or leaving my backpack unattended in the campus center, because the majority of Castleton students are good people.

My hope and belief is this is a not a trend, but an isolated incident. Not a new culture of crime, but a few idiotic, disrespectful individuals who think they can get away with these kinds of behaviors. The unfortunate truth, though, is that this did happen. Castleton is safe, but even the safest places have crime. The best we can do is protect our cars and property and make sure we are those caring people there helping, not the ones causing problems.

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