While the crime rate in the Spring 2025 semester has been typical, UCCS Police are investigating two confirmed cases of mail theft in the dorms, which is an uncommonly reported crime on campus, according to UCCS Police Department Detective Michael Shaller.
The UCCS Crime Blotter shows that crime on campus is slightly lower than previous years. Though crime is down by seven reports compared to this time last year, Schaller noted that this difference is not enough to imply a significant overall decrease in crime. Reporting fluctuations by this amount are common, according to Shaller.
Mail theft
Multiple instances of mail theft and tampering were reported in the La Plata and Monarch mail rooms. Shaller said that he believes that thieves are targeting gift cards being mailed to students.
The two confirmed cases of mail theft on campus are unusual. “Mail theft isn’t something we see regularly,” Schaller said.
Detective Kaylee Marquez is leading the investigation. Marquez is establishing patterns to track the total number of thefts. The department is in contact with victims to pinpoint exactly when the thefts took place.
“They’re usually after something,” Schaller said. Perpetrators may take handfuls of mail, search until they find gift cards and dispose of the rest. The investigation is focused on determining which items were taken versus discarded to fully understand what type of mail is being targeted, according to Shaller.
Shaller said the investigation is complicated by the fact that mail is often left for long periods of time. He said mail theft is difficult to establish until the stolen gift cards have been used. Victims are still being identified.
Bike theft
In February, four bicycle thefts were reported to the UCCS Police Department. Forgetting or improperly locking bikes increases the risk of having a bike stolen, said Shaller.
According to Schaller, there are preventative measures that help to decrease the rate of bike theft, including registering bikes with UCCS Parking. “When bikes are stolen, they are very hard to recover if you don’t have the serial number,” Schaller said.
Stolen bikes are often pawned. Without a registered serial number, pawn shops are unable to see if bikes have been stolen, making them difficult to relocate.
As the weather gets warmer, bike thefts tend to increase due to a higher volume of people outdoors, according to Shaller.
The UCCS Police Department is undertaking proactive measures to prevent crime on campus. “[They are] out doing foot patrols in the housing villages and looking for bikes,” Schaller said.
“Make sure you have a good U-lock,” Schaller said. “Avoid leaving bikes unattended for long period of time.”
Other crimes reported in Spring 2025:
- The bookstore was involved in a credit card scam, in which $500 of merchandise was bought online using a stolen credit card. The stolen funds have been returned to the victim and merchandise returned to the bookstore.
- A stolen vehicle was reported to the Colorado Springs Police Department on March 5. On March 6, the abandoned vehicle was recovered in Alpine Garage.
- There have been three reports of liquor and drug violations on campus. One took place in Alpine Garage, and the other two in Breckenridge Hall. “The calls in residence halls for the odor of marijuana or parties are fairly consistent,” Schaller said.
- Sexual assault and harassment have both been reported once.
Schaller encourages students to report any suspicious activity to the UCCS Police Department by calling (719) 251-3111 or sending an email to [email protected].
La Plata House in Nov. 2024. Archive photo by Josiah Dolan.