Please Keep Your Hands to Yourself

Enriched though our intellects may be, most of us Cal Bears are still pretty much poor college students when it comes to material possessions. What few pricey things we have-music players, cell phones, laptops-are things we use frequently and constantly depend on; ergo, we treat them with respect, and expect others to do the same. Imagine his surprise, then, when Brad Kerr discovered that his skateboard had been stolen from his room during a Tau Kappa Epsilon pre-game barbeque in November. At $220, the board was not only a functional transportation tool for Brad, but a hefty investment as well. Brad is only one of dozens of students each week who fall victim-directly and indirectly-to party-related theft and property damage.

The typical things stolen include what one might expect-music players, watches, and other assorted valuables that are conveniently snatched off an unguarded shelf or nightstand. This doesn't mean, however, that other possessions are immune; things ranging from ID cards to shoes, and even calculators, have been reported as stolen from hosts and attendees.

Material losses aside, the effects of theft and damage are compounded by the hassle of replacing or repairing valuables, as well as by the subsequent loss of trust. As UC Berkeley junior Priya Asthana pointed out, "If your purse gets stolen at a party, you have to spend time canceling all your credit cards, getting another ID, canceling your phone service, and so on." No student would want to endure a disruptive process involving so much time and stress. Even if one only had to experience it once, he or she would never feel the same way again about large social gatherings.

The exact scale of the issue is difficult to determine, as UCPD's Sgt. Lou Milani stated, "It's hard to say…because of the roving nature of parties, and because we don't know how much of [the theft and damage] goes unreported." Those with any partying experience know what he's talking about; the parties go where the people are, and once the crowd migrates from the living room to Top Dog or La Burrita for a late-night meal, it's near impossible to point out, let alone catch, a thief or flagrant party-fouler. Still, considering that the Berkeley PD, according to Officer Steve Burcham, are called to "problem" parties practically every week, it's probably not a stretch to say that some degree of theft or property damage happens at the same frequency.

Like other problems within the student community, theft and damage persist with the help of our internalized attitudes we have towards it. It's dispiriting, after all, to realize that we can't expect the friends of our friends to respect one another's prized possessions and (temporary) homes.

Until theft and damage become the exception rather than the norm, common sense can be applied to help minimize it at parties. Hosts should know who they let in, be confident about asking troublemakers to leave, and make it clear which areas of your home are off-limits to visitors. Partygoers: don't leave with anything you didn't come in with (apart from your new friends), and treat the place like it was your favorite grandparent's. Finally, just bring the basics-the less you've got with you, the less you have to lose if someone does decide to play the Artful Dodger. In the spirit of Alcohol Awareness Month, let's all keep these in mind for the next party we host or attend.