<p>S1 had his brand new backpack containing two English books stolen fr. his unlocked truck…ugh. He also had an Ipod stolen in the library when he left his books and stuff in a cubicle while he went to the restroom…live and learn. It still stinks.</p>
<p>I think my D’s CSI initial policy cost about $185 for $8000 worth of stuff with a $25 deductible. One of her paid claims was well over $1000 so it was certainly worthwhile for us. Her policy cost has gone up only about $5 a year despite her claims. One really great thing is that it is a 12 month policy so she was covered while at summer school at a different college. She’ll be studying abroad this spring and I believe the policy will work then too. It’s really an amazing value and I wish I’d known about it when my older kids were in college.</p>
<p>Edit: My D was asked for her receipts and she had them through Apple and Amazon. I didn’t know you could claim without them.</p>
<p>I wish more colleges would switch to keyless entries for dorm rooms. This way the door always locks behind you and there is no need to bring your keys.</p>
<p>So sorry to hear about theft on campuses. My DS1 had all his meds stolen a few weeks ago. (for skin, for ADD, for anxiety, and for depression) His doctor told him the street value for some of those pills would be $10 per pill, and we had just refilled one of the meds. That’s $300…no wonder kids wanted to steal that! </p>
<p>The worst part was that his anxiety/depression then went through the roof. UGH! And our insurance wouldn’t cover a refill. Fortunately, our doctor was very helpful, so in the end, everything worked out, but it was a frustrating experience. I heard it was some kids who weren’t students there.</p>
<p>Funny thing: they didn’t even try to take anything else. Computer was still there. But, he has one of those wire locks attached to it, so maybe that was enough of a deterrent. BTW: he emails his papers to himself, just in case his computer crashes.</p>
<p>My son had a new camera stolen in his dorm (ironically it was a replacement for one stolen at an abroad) but he wrote a note and left in in the bathroom saying that it was his Grandmothers and someone returned it. We heard about it a couple of months after it happened. </p>
<p>Regarding the first camera that was stolen in England, after he got home I was rummaging with him through his papers and found out that his student insurance that he had to buy at that University showed that the theft was covered and if he had reported it then, he could have gotten it replaced.</p>
<p>“My DS1 had all his meds stolen a few weeks ago. (for skin, for ADD, for anxiety, and for depression)”</p>
<p>This is my worst nightmare and I spend a RIDICULOUS amount of energy worrying about whether or not I have hid them adequately. I have no idea how to really keep them safe, I have too much stuff to carry it all on me at all times.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>There needs to be a better solution for you!!! (hide in your pillow??? some kind of box with a combination that is attached to something heavy???) Dorm rooms need those little wall safes like hotels now have.</p>
<p>DD’s dorm has new furniture this year. The desk has a drawer that is set up for a lock, although I dont’ think she uses it. DS goes to an urban school…lots of theft, usually kids leaving a cel phone or backpack unattended. You can’t leave anything unattended for even a minute there…and a lot of the theft is people who are not affiliated with the U.
DD has an external backup for her laptop and a thumb drive. I have told her repeatedly to use them, particularly when working on a big assignment. Of course, murphy’s law…who knows if she is?</p>
<p>Twisted-Check out this thread on medication security on campus.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/751183-security-add-meds-dorm.html?highlight=meds[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/751183-security-add-meds-dorm.html?highlight=meds</a></p>
<p><<i wonder=“” if=“” the=“” person=“” will=“” try=“” to=“” sell=“” book=“” back=“” school=“” bookstore=“” for=“” cash.=“”>></i></p><i wonder=“” if=“” the=“” person=“” will=“” try=“” to=“” sell=“” book=“” back=“” school=“” bookstore=“” for=“” cash.=“”>
<p>Yep–I’d notify the bookstore manager ASAP to ask staff to be on the lookout for a midterm effort to sell the book back (thieves can be stupid). The mgr. doesn’t want this to be easy to do; s/he’d much rather sell brand new books for $200!</p>
<p>For future, a little something to prove ownership: I always put my surname in BIG bright color marker letters on the top, side and bottom edges of my closed “keeper” textbooks to make them a little less attractive to potential thieves. If I planned to sell a book, I would just put my name on the bottom edge, which I would then “cross out” with the same color before resale. It had no effect on the books’ resale value or usefulness, and made it possible to hide my name in plain sight.</p>
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<p>My sympathies to the OP as well for the aggravation and cost of the stolen book. This thread also made me think of the safety issues that our kids in group living environments may take for granted. </p>
<p>Our campus had a rash of laptop thefts from on campus apartments a couple of years ago and it went on for a couple of months before they caught the guy (a non-student). These on campus apartments are very similar to a regular apartment complex, only on campus so easy get away and blend in on foot. The apartments had 4 private bedrooms with common living room and kitchen. Kids tended to leave apartment door unlocked, especially if one of the kids was still home. </p>
<p>One girl was studying in her bedroom and heard a noise in the next room, thought it was the roomie returning so walked out of her room and came face to face with the thief, who shoved her up against the wall as he ran out. I couldn’t believe how careless these kids were about leaving their apartment door unlocked. I would advise kids to lock their bedroom doors even while they’re studying in case the roomies leave the apartment door unlocked.</p>
<p>This kind of loss makes me sick - it’s not too tragic bit awfully annoying! Just a suggestion for the laptops - I use Carbonite to back up my laptop and my desktop at the office. It costs $50 a year and is easy to use. It backs up in the background so you don’t have to do anything. It’s great when you migrate to a new machine or need to reformat your hard drive. Sorry for the commercial interruption…</p>
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<p>Some kids who go to private high schools who must buy their books do this also.</p>
<p>But to the OP…</p>
<p>Definitely have your kid notify the school’s bookstore for a “buy back” attempt.</p>
<p>S lost his keys in September–keys to his room, the cable locking his laptop down, and a little metal box where he kept his meds. The keys had been gone almost a week before he called to ask me to bring down the spare key for the med box (tells me how faithful he’s been about taking his meds…). He hadn’t even reported it to the RA or security yet! </p>
<p>He eventually got the lock changed, but now the roommate’s key is missing. S recently found the original set of keys. IN HIS BACKPACK. The front pouch where he always kept his keys and cell phone has a number of little pouches inside it, and the keys were inside one of them. Why he didn’t look in there before, I don’t know. Of course, the room key is useless because the lock has been changed. </p>
<p>The guys are both perfectly happy leaving the door unlocked. “We trust everyone.” At least S’s laptop is locked down (roommate’s isn’t), but I think they’re both idiots.</p>
<p>My D and her roommates used to keep their doors unlocked until one night a drunken kid in his undies came into their room thinking it was his and it was a struggle to get him out. Then they started locking their door!</p>
<p>Thanks for all the wonderful replies! My son has a new ($200! ouch!) biochemistry book and is back on track. Unfortunately he is not going to bother with the campus police. (“Mom, what is the point? This kinda of thing happens everyday here.”) We are getting him a small footlocker with a padlock and are looking into the insurance suggested here. And now he locks his room door when he showers.</p>
<p>Two days ago we toured Christopher Newport (small public LAC in VA) with our DD and I asked the tour guide about theft. She gave me a surprised look and said that she routinely leaves her backpack and laptop in the library while she attends class and her stuff has never been disturbed.</p>
<p>^^^ That sounds like my small private LAC. I’ve left stuff in the library OVERNIGHT to keep a study room reserved and came back to find everything still there. I routinely leave my stuff at a table or desk to go to the cafeteria for dinner, down to the coffeeshop to grab something quick, back to my room and the such. We have maybe two thefts a year, both of which don’t deter anyone from leaving rooms unlocked, stuff left unattended in library, etc. My freshman year I usually left my door open so friends could go in and play Xbox or watch TV while I was at class or practice. Never thought about the consequences because where I am there really aren’t any.</p>
<p>My kids go to small religious schools–very safe. My son once told me someone found a $20 bill and pinned it to the bulletin board with a note (found, place/date). It stayed up for days–maybe weeks. . .He was really impressed by that and thought it was unlikely to happen at another school.</p>
<p>My brother once left his backpack in a bookstore cubby at his large urban u. While he was in the store, he saw 3 guys walk out–one with HIS backpack. He chased them down the street and said, “Hey, that’s MY backpack. . .” (Thinking maybe they’d taken it by mistake.) They proceeded to beat the cr*p out of him my bro. Fortunately, a big redneck guy (guardian angel?) driving by saw the fight, jumped out of his car, and helped my brother get away–with his backpack (and beat up the thieves, too).</p>
<p>We never locked our doors (in college) years ago, until we went for a run one day and returned to find that our wallets had been emptied of our modest cash resources.</p>
<p>A recent news item was of interest. </p>
<p>[Teen’s</a> video snags surprise locker thief suspect](<a href=“http://www.newsday.com/long-island/teen-s-video-snags-surprise-locker-thief-suspect-1.1542434]Teen’s”>http://www.newsday.com/long-island/teen-s-video-snags-surprise-locker-thief-suspect-1.1542434)</p>