Editorial: Prowler activity spurs safety tips

In the prowler story on A1, there are tips to keep yourself safe over the summer. This includes closing and locking windows, not leaving valuables where thieves can see them and not walking by yourself at night.

Here’s another tip: criminals don’t care about your personal safety.

Many people, especially students, immediately plug into the information superhighway once they leave class or anywhere they have to put away their electronic gear.

Unfortunately, that leaves them vulnerable to people who find it easier to take other people’s things than work for it themselves.

Now you’re their next target, and you probably don’t even know it.

With the recent rash of robberies in town, both the Chico Police Department and University Police are on alert and stepping up patrols in order to limit criminal activity near campus.

The old saying, “There’s safety in numbers,” applies here. Thieves are like pack animals. They like to separate out the weak ones from the herd — and if you’re wandering down the Esplanade alone, you’re like a moving steak to a jackal, especially after dark. You’ve just separated yourself from the herd.

And we’ve all watched the Discovery Channel. We know how that ends up, don’t we?

Sadly, Chico isn’t the only place where you can be robbed or beaten up.

There are scumbags in every town and city on the planet. But with a few changes to your usual behavior, you can avoid ending up face down in the gutter, becoming yet another victim of violent crime.

Nobody’s suggesting that people should lock their doors and windows and huddle in the corner like they’re hiding from zombies — especially on a Friday night during summer. College students are expected to take the opportunity to celebrate the end of classes by partying and enjoying themselves.

All you need to do is exercise some caution to ensure your safety.

No matter what city you’re in, if you’re headed out for a night of sin and debauchery, take a few friends along. If you’ve been drinking and can not drive, take a cab instead of walking back to wherever you’re staying.

Pay attention to what’s going on around you. Take the opportunity observe your surroundings. Is that section of the roadway really dark? At midnight, it’s probably not a good idea to go there.

Just becoming a more aware and cautious person can help you stay safe and sound over the summer.

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