By Kimberley Goh, Third Year, Law
‘Hey! Your headphones are really nice, where’d you get them?’
‘Oh thanks, I nicked them from a women’s bathroom in Senate House!’
This is a conversation that I presume someone out there has had about my stolen headphones. Now you may think, ‘man she’s petty!’ because who writes an entire article about a little petty theft? Nothing hath fury like a woman scorned. Bought for my 21st birthday by my partner who works a minimum wage job (sorry for airing it, babe) - this cut quite deep. Not just because it was a sentimental gift which took months to earn, but also because this individual was clearly a student. To get into the women’s bathrooms on the ground floor of Senate House, one had to tap their U-Card at least once. A fellow university student who identifies as a woman stole a non-essential item from one of their own during the span of about half an hour.
This isn’t the only time either. I once left a classroom to go to another class on the same floor and left my laptop charger, which was promptly stolen in the 30 minutes it took for my absolute brick of an outdated Windows laptop to die. Beside the emotional and financial blows from the fact that the 330W charger was barely in production (or common use), it was more my absolute shock that someone would actually steal it. Theft seems to happen for many reasons. Sometimes, ‘because I can’ seems to simply be enough. So what’s stopping thieves from just nicking everything?
Is it their character?
‘Theft’ can bring to mind many images; the sneaky sleight of hand into one’s jean pocket (perhaps coupled with the spritely atmosphere of the London tube), the uncouth crash of a break-in, or perhaps even the violent blare of the humble alarm of a tiny Fiat 500. Rarely is the thought of the silent, natural, and similar individual to oneself brought to mind. The itch to steal seems to plague anyone, regardless of how they may seem. This is not to suggest that everyone is suspicious and should never be trusted, but more that theft can happen because of and to anyone.
Is it the location?
Maybe Universities are theft hot-spots? (Author’s Note: let’s not get started on my out-of-university battle with theft. I’m surprised I haven’t considered being part of the neighbourhood watch - as bait). In summary, the status of a ‘university student’ is not one that’s easily rubbed off. The target on a student’s back is omnipresent and further illuminated by youthful conduct and over-stuffed bags, especially while they travel. As the perfect blend of unsupervised, know-it-all, decently-funded, and sleepy in transit, students are the flame to the moths of thievery. Speaking from personal experience, the people around you are unlikely to help you or get involved - they would much rather sink further into the crisp crumbs between the plush moquette of their seats and watch your entire bag get stolen off the train. This happens at stopovers between destinations where individuals can easily board the train, snag an item from a shelf, and dip. So how can we avoid this? If travelling with others, have someone keep watch and swap shifts whenever needed. If travelling alone, tuck your valuables in a smaller bag between or underneath yourself, and try to keep belongings out of easy reach by others or within your sight. Try not to leave it to lady luck.
Is it luck?
Could it really just be a matter of fortune? University notices are plastered all over, telling students to be aware of their belongings and not leave them unattended. Of course, this advice is well-implemented, until the building looks empty enough or if the rush to or out of class is just too great. Upon visiting the Arts and Social Sciences Library for a full hour during lunch, I observed around five unattended sets of items including but not limited to; a Macbook Pro, Airpod Max headphones, an Acer laptop, and a bulging leather wallet. These items were all left unattended for more than 15 minutes, a realistic timeframe for the theft of any (if not every) item. None of these were stolen, which proves some aspect of luck involved and politely informs me that I should never gamble, but why would you? With the Bristol City Council’s report of the steady climb in reported crime from 2022 to 2025, students are not exempt and should take precaution to avoid becoming a statistic (or crying about not-so-petty theft on the phone to their parents).
Grace Bourne
Ben Morrison
In the spirit of safe-keeping, here are some tips to keep your things together:
- A large bag or tote can help you to keep all your things in one place, try to keep anything you aren’t using into your bag before doing anything.
- Do a check whenever you are about to leave - it takes under 30 seconds and could save you a lot of grief.
- When checking, pick everything up and do a (gentle) spin - check the hooks, shelves, nooks, crannies, divots and dents before you go.
- Study with friends, or consider asking the people around you for a favour in watching your things (if you won’t be gone long).
- The University Student Safety guide (pdf) is available online!
Lastly, let’s all remember that theft is a reportable crime. Always reach out for help and file a report when necessary! Stay vigilant, and keep your hands to yourself and your things.
Featured image: Epigram / Hanno Sie
Have you experienced theft at university?
