Leaving CDs in plain sight when students leave their cars on campus might not be such a good idea.

So far this semester, security has reported eight thefts from vehicles. Seven of the cars broken into were parked in the back parking lot behind the apartments. The other was parked in front of Blaine Hall. Five of the cars had CDs and/or CD players stolen.

Dustin Backes, freshman undecided major, is one victim. Backes had a window broken out of his Chevy S-10 and his CDs, amplifier, sub-speakers, wallet and checkbook were all taken. He called both campus security and the Joplin Police Department. Both made reports on the incident. Backes said whoever stole his checkbook wrote several bad checks from his account, and one of the stores that received a bad check even hired a detective to find the perpetrator.

“They think they might have found out who did it, but they’re not sure yet,” he said.

The thief is thought to be a resident of Pittsburg and not a student at Missouri Southern.

Backes said other students need to realize it can be risky to park in the back parking lot.

“Honestly,” he said, “I think they (security) need to patrol the back lots a lot better.”

Ken Kennedy, manager of safety and security, said the reason so many thefts have occurred in the back parking lot is because “thieves like to work in seclusion.”

There is less lighting and people around in the back lot.

Joey McGarrah, freshman biology major, also had his car parked in the back parking lot when he had his CD player and CDs stolen. He said the thief probably took around $600 worth of things from his car.

McGarrah had not locked his car when the items were taken.

“I don’t know if it would’ve made a difference or not,” he said, mentioning how Backes’s truck was locked, and he still had items stolen.

Kennedy said students should always lock their cars, take the keys out and not leave anything valuable where it can be seen.

He said it is also important not to take valuables, like an antique necklace, into the residence halls.

“Never leave your dorm room unlocked,” Kennedy said.

Backes said he had $50 stolen from his room and his roommate had his Play Station stolen, too. Security has two reports of Play Stations being stolen from East Hall, but not everyone reports theft to security.

Kennedy said he recently spoke to JPD and found out that three individuals have been apprehended for car thefts in Joplin. The JPD believes the individuals also were breaking into cars at Southern.

“So hopefully, at least as far as the rash of thefts from vehicles that we’ve been having, that will at least subside for a while,” Kennedy said.

Police also told him they have possibly caught one of the individuals who stole a Play Station; they’re just waiting for charges to be filed.

“The Joplin Police Department has been very successful lately in helping us with clearing up some of those crimes,” Kennedy said.

Security tries to encourage students to report thefts to JPD.

Kennedy said, “Security’s not a law enforcement agency.”

Therefore, JPD can do a lot more than campus security as far as investigating a crime and finding the perpetrators, he said. Security has two patrol vehicles circle the campus and residence halls every night. Security can be on the lookout for certain individuals JPD suspects, but it cannot do much when it comes to solving crimes.