On any given night, getting into a residence hall on campus is as easy as muttering "open sesame" at the doors. With a little luck, time and a friendly face, gaining access to a hall is alarmingly simple.
Such simplicity in residence hall security seemed evident last week after a juvenile male was able to enter Ivory Tower on multiple occasions to steal residents' electronics and other items. While residents' doors were unlocked, allowing the alleged thief to enter individual rooms, the man was not stopped or confronted at the entrances of Ivory or New Hall.
"The swiping system helps to some extent," said LeAnne Blanchette, a sophomore living in Guthridge. "I didn't have my GWorld card for two days and I had no issue getting (into my dorm). All I had to do was wait five or 10 minutes for someone to come along with a card."
University Police Chief Dolores Stafford said there are typically between 500 and 700 burglaries on campus each year - between two and three each day - and that 100 to 200 occur in residence halls.
In 2006, about 22 percent of the burglaries happened in residence halls. Stafford added most of the incidents were "preventable thefts, which means that the property that was stolen was left unsecured and/or unattended."
"Security is a team effort on campus," Stafford said. "We have physical security measures on campus. If people aren't using them and they're letting people trail behind them at exterior doors, they are in essence defeating our security system."
"Students are always responsible for their guests and should not allow people that they do not know (to) follow them into the buildings," said Seth Weinshel, a director of GW Housing Programs.
Steven Crittenden, a Domino's pizza delivery employee, said he's been able to get into GW residence halls before and has even been able to deliver pizzas directly to customers' doors.
"I'm a pizza guy, they're not trying to keep me out, they're trying to let me in," Crittenden said. Crittenden added that his generally young appearance also helps him get into the buildings.
Such simplicity in residence hall security seemed evident last week after a juvenile male was able to enter Ivory Tower on multiple occasions to steal residents' electronics and other items. While residents' doors were unlocked, allowing the alleged thief to enter individual rooms, the man was not stopped or confronted at the entrances of Ivory or New Hall.
"The swiping system helps to some extent," said LeAnne Blanchette, a sophomore living in Guthridge. "I didn't have my GWorld card for two days and I had no issue getting (into my dorm). All I had to do was wait five or 10 minutes for someone to come along with a card."
University Police Chief Dolores Stafford said there are typically between 500 and 700 burglaries on campus each year - between two and three each day - and that 100 to 200 occur in residence halls.
In 2006, about 22 percent of the burglaries happened in residence halls. Stafford added most of the incidents were "preventable thefts, which means that the property that was stolen was left unsecured and/or unattended."
"Security is a team effort on campus," Stafford said. "We have physical security measures on campus. If people aren't using them and they're letting people trail behind them at exterior doors, they are in essence defeating our security system."
"Students are always responsible for their guests and should not allow people that they do not know (to) follow them into the buildings," said Seth Weinshel, a director of GW Housing Programs.
Steven Crittenden, a Domino's pizza delivery employee, said he's been able to get into GW residence halls before and has even been able to deliver pizzas directly to customers' doors.
"I'm a pizza guy, they're not trying to keep me out, they're trying to let me in," Crittenden said. Crittenden added that his generally young appearance also helps him get into the buildings.
