Following three burglaries this month at The Lorenzo, an off-campus apartment complex, USC’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) sent out a community safety advisory Sunday afternoon, making students aware of an uptick in thefts.
“We saw some commonalities [between the three],” said David Carlisle, assistant chief of DPS. “Two of the burglaries occurred while the students were at home. It’s unusual to have a burglar try to burglarize a house or an apartment when a person is at home, so that is very concerning.”
Carlisle said that one student was sleeping and awoke to find property missing from the common area in their apartment. The individual was unclear whether or not their door was locked at the time.
Another burglar entered an apartment through an open window, Carlisle said. The third burglary was witnessed by a resident who was in their apartment at the time. The individual saw the burglar cut through their window screen and reach through the open window.
“There are some simple steps that can really help you from becoming victimized,” Carlisle said. He advised students to “take simple precautions,” including locking their doors, closing their windows, and leaving the television or a light on to give the impression that someone is home at all times.
Carlisle’s biggest piece of advice to students is to lock their doors, because “many students don’t do this.”
Mehar Haleem, a non-USC student and a resident at The Lorenzo, does not typically lock her front door.
“Keys are annoying, and nothing has ever happened,” said Haleem.
An email from Lorenzo management Monday afternoon reminded residents that the apartment doors do not lock automatically. The email also informed residents to always lock their doors, have their entry lanyards visible, refrain from propping open doors and keep valuables out of sight.
Alexa Perez, a senior studying health and human sciences, has lived in The Lorenzo for the last three years. Although she always locks her front door, she knows other residents are not as careful.
Perez said that because the property houses non-students and is large, safety issues are complex.
“I believe that there should be more security measures in place, and now with DPS addressing the situation, I hope The Lorenzo takes steps forward to enforce the measures in place,” Perez said.
The Lorenzo declined Annenberg Media’s request for comment.