The Champaign Police Department is warning residents to lock their apartments at all times. This warning is being issued after the department received multiple reports of burglaries occurring to unlocked apartments.
Since August 15, 2014, twenty reports have been filed, indicating that residences were entered illegally and laptops and other electronic items were stolen. Officers have not identified any particular trends, other than the majority of the residences were left unlocked. All of these burglaries have occurred within the campus district.
Residents are urged to keep vehicles and homes locked at all times, especially overnight. Do not tempt a thief by leaving items like laptops, GPS devices, cell phones, MP3 players, coins, purses and wallets, visible and in plain view.
In response to these crimes, Champaign police officers will be conducting extra patrols, but urge residents to report any suspicious activity by calling 9-1-1. Suspicious activity could be described as an unfamiliar person wandering through an apartment building, knocking on multiple doors or turning door handles.
Anyone with information about these crimes can contact the Champaign Police Department by calling (217) 351-4545, or callers can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 373-8477 (TIPS.) Information can also be sent by anonymous web tip by going to: www.373tips.com or by texting keyword “CCTIP” plus the information to 274637 (CRIMES).