On Feb. 19 at 9:55 a.m., Associate Professor Brent Budd in the Visual Art and Design Department on South City Campus left his office door slightly open and went to the bathroom. When he returned to his office, he found that his computer bag was missing.
“The most frequent crime we get on campus is unattended property theft,” says Sargent Phil Waters of the Utah Highway Patrol. “So keep your property with you and keep an eyeball on it.”
According to the Salt Lake Community College 2013 Crime Awareness and Campus Report, in 2012, there were 157 cases of larceny theft, which is the taking of property that does not involve violence, 42 of those cases were at South City Campus, and Taylorsville Redwood had 94 cases.
“The campus has put a lot of money into campus surveillance,” says Waters. Still, it is a good idea for faculty and staff to lock their doors when they leave their offices.
Campus surveillance cameras show a woman entering Budd’s office and allegedly leaving with Budd’s bag.
The woman was spotted recently on campus, but it was not called in until it was too late for police to respond.
Budd lost textbooks, lecture notes, a day planner and other personal items, but had left his computer at home on the day in question.
The theft looks like a misdemeanor, which is determined by the value of what was stolen according to Waters.
“I’d like to talk to this gal,” says Waters, who is confident that he will at some point be able to speak with the alleged suspect.
Anyone with information about the person of interest or the theft should contact Waters at 801-957-4270 or by email at pwaters@utah.gov.
According to the Salt Lake Community College website, the Utah State Department of Public Safety (DPS) law enforcement services the Taylorsville Redwood, South City, Meadowbrook and Jordan Campuses. Local police departments provide services at other campuses.
