Here and Now: From backpacks to a drawer

Though this university has a low level of crime and theft the loss of valuables is common, because students tend to neglect their belongings.

One of the places on campus that students should know about is the Lost and Found.

Many students leave or forget their belongings on chairs in corridors and this is often how things end up in the drawers of the lost and found.

On Wednesday, Madison Magleby, a Psychology student, had just cashed her paycheck. While she was studying in one of the corridors, she left her things on the chairs while she went to the bathroom.

When she returned, her wallet was missing and one of the boys who sat beside her gave her a $20 bill saying that he found it on the floor.

Magleby headed to the police department on campus to report it and see if they could help find the money, but there was no trace, except for students who were around him.

“I just cashed my check yesterday,” Magleby said, “and out of the $200 that I had I only have the $20 the boy gave me.”

Another student, Paul Burnham, lost his two USBs, where he stored all his auto CAD designs.

“I was so angry about this loss, but thank goodness I had printed them already, however, I lost many hours of work,” Burnham said.

The lost and found is in the police building (GT 331), where they usually get between eight to ten cell phones and four to six wallets weekly, four to five laptops per month and many personal belongings such as clothing, jewelry, keys, oddly enough books and shoes and pants also appear.

All items that end up in the lost and found are kept for 90 days, according to state law. If the owner does not come forward, then they are auctioned. The police officers make sure to call the owners if the objects have such information.

“Students need to be more attentive to what they are doing and their belongings,” officer Liddiard said, who is in charge of the lost and found. “Most things that are lost are due to students not paying attention or forgetting their belongings in chairs or on the floor, or left unattended for a moment and when they return, they are no longer where they left them.”