Last semester, the University of North Florida Police Department introduced a new property registration website called the UPD Property Manager. Accessed through MyWings, the Safe Ospreys app or the UPD website, the property manager provides a way for students, faculty and staff to register their belongings so that in the event it is stolen or lost, UPD will have an easier time tracking it down.
According to UPD Deputy Chief Adam Brown, there were 74 reported theft cases in 2023, and a wide range of items went missing.
“A couple of years ago, we were going through a period where bicycles were being stolen, and we would ask the owners of the bicycles for information such as serial numbers or identifying markings,” said Brown. “They didn’t have that information. It made it difficult for us to follow up.”
With the UPD Property Manager, the student or staff member can register their items on the website with the identifying information, which will assist UPD in tracking down the items if they are stolen.
“UNF is a very safe campus, but it is an open campus, and it’s just like anywhere else. You will have things like thefts; you will have things that people leave around, and people take them. Things like that do happen,” said Brown.
Identifying information includes the serial number, item color, identifying markings or any other information the individual can provide that would help in a search. It will also allow you to upload pictures, according to Brown.
Once the item is registered, it will remain so for future semesters. Students, faculty and staff do not have to reregister. They can even unregister an item if they graduate or leave the university.
Besides the property manager, Brown said many other precautions can be taken to protect your property on campus.
He recommends locking rooms and car doors, storing valuable items securely and not leaving belongings unattended. As for bicycles, buying heavy-duty locks for the bike prevents them from being stolen, he said.
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