Hide your kids. Hide your wife. Hide your books?

Whether studying in on-campus housing or the library, students’ books no longer remain safe due to textbook thefts occurring in various spots on campus.

“In our apartment, we’re missing ten books between the four of us,” said Ambrosia Maddox sophomore English major, “and our neighbor is missing three books.”

Maddox said the book thefts started occurring back in February and only recently escalated to more than a few books.

Maddox said her apartment is always locked and everyone living in the apartment is missing books.

“I’m assuming that over Easter break, since a lot of people are gone, someone was able to break into a few apartments and take some books,” said Austin Ubelhor, sophomore Spanish and Biology pre-med major.

Ubelhor also had some textbooks stolen from his on-campus apartment.

“It was just the books. They didn’t take anything else,” he said. “I guess books are easer to get rid of than a TV or something like that.”

Assistant Director of Security Stephen Bequette said he has no evidence to believe there is any sort of “master key” being used to break into campus apartments, and all such keys are accounted for through Housing and Residence Life.

“Usually they’ve [students] left doors unlocked, but don’t want to admit it,” Bequette said.

As far as stolen text books in general, security works with the USI Bookstore as well as the nearby Txt Book Rental when attempting to find stolen books that might have been sold to either store.

Bequette said there has been no increase in reported thefts, but such incidents usually occur more often towards the end of the semester.

Another area where textbook theft has been occurring is in the Rice Library, where students may take a restroom break from studying and come back to find their things missing.

Last semester security monitered the library’s security cameras to catch one such thief, and are attempting to do so again.

An unidentified female has been caught on camera taking students’ backpacks into the restroom, taking things out, then leaving the bag.

Anyone who has any information regarding this individual is asked to contact security, anonymously or otherwise.

“We’re trying to stay on top of it,” Bequette said. “We’re keeping busy.”

Bequette said students should not leave things unattended in the library and recommends marking the same page in every book with the same identifying number to help in reclaiming and identifying stolen books.

“Don’t leave you’re stuff unattended,” Bequette said. “Study in groups and have someone watch your stuff or take your valuables with you.”