With controversy still surrounding the killing on E. University Parkway, the safety of this residential street has been under scrutiny by both the media and campus officials.
Lieutenant Steven Ossmus with Campus Safety and Security confirmed that in 2009, four reported burglaries occurred on East University Parkway, one of which was an attempt, and one of which resulted in an arrest made by the Baltimore Police.
According to Student-Community Liaison Caroline Bennett, University Parkway has historically had problems with burglaries since she came to Hopkins in the early 90s.
In 2008, however, no burglaries were reported on East University. In 2007, only one burglary was reported.
The Charles Village neighborhood has had nine instances of burglary reported since Sept. 9 of this year, according to Campus Safety and Security.
According to Ossmus, almost all of the burglars in these robberies have entered through unlocked or open windows and doors.
Ossmus believes these burglaries are preventable, which is why Campus Security has stressed the need to secure one's residence to the Hopkins community, through security alerts and daily safety tips.
"All off-campus crimes are under the jurisdiction of the Baltimore Police Department," Ossmus wrote in an e-mail to the News-Letter.
"However, campus investigators work with and support Baltimore Police investigators in resolution of these incidents."
Ossmus also said that the Northern District Baltimore Police force has increased its marked and unmarked patrols in the area around the University, and is actively investigating all of the burglaries.
The Northern District Baltimore Police Department was not available for comment.
Senior Dan Saragnese lives in a row house on East University, and said that he and his housemates do as much as they can by locking their doors and having their windows barred.
Saragnese's residence has not been burglarized, and he is only aware of the incidences by the reports filed with campus security.
"We have an alarm system that was deactivated after the last tenants moved out," he said.
"We may have it reactivated but we aren't really sure yet, because it's kind of expensive."
Other residents of East University, like junior Courtney Smith, have taken security precautions beyond the standard safety measures.
"We fixed the lock on the front door, sanded the door down so it would close better and put a dead bolt on it," Smith said.
"In my room I have a peephole on my door. I put up curtains and took the air conditioner out of my window."
Smith said she reads the Hopkins security bulletins to find out about such incidents in her neighborhood, and is taking the burglaries seriously.
Ossmus stressed that the most important action residents can take is to secure their residences and report all suspicious activity to the Baltimore police.
