Campus Crossings hosted a Crime Prevention Seminar Wednesday evening in response to a demand by Campus Crossings residents.

“We did this because of our residents. It’s something that they wanted and asked for, especially their parents,” Andrew Jones, assistant manager of Campus Crossings, said.

The Statesboro Police Department developed the Crime Prevention Seminar solely for use in the city of Statesboro, and it is available for presentation to other groups.

Officer Justin Samples, SPD’s community relations officer, presented tips on how to prevent, recognize and report crimes such as burglary, robbery, home invasions and auto crime.

Criminals target multi-housing environments, or apartment complexes, because there is a large quantity of targets living in a small space, Samples said.

“Students are quality targets. They have new laptops, smartphones, tablets, televisions and gaming consoles,” Samples said.

“Write down the serial numbers. It’s the only way to catch the bad guys by figuring out where they pawn your stuff,” Samples said.

Samples offered numerous tips to discourage criminals from breaking into a residence or apartment.

Using window coverings such as blinds and curtain will prevent others from looking into windows, Samples said.

“Also, don’t advertise with your trash. If you buy a new flat-screen TV, don’t put the empty box outside your door and leave it there,” Samples said.

“Lock your doors. Locking your doors can prevent people from just opening your door,” Samples said. “Just use the lock, its not that hard.”

Samples offered advice on how to identify possible crimes in progress and how to report them to the police.

“If you see suspicious people you know aren’t residents, if they’re acting nervous or paranoid, if they are knocking on multiple doors, it’s not a good thing,” Samples said.

If a person discovers that a crime has been committed, call 9-1-1 immediately and do not touch anything, Samples said.

Touching surfaces on crime scenes can tamper with fingerprints, which are difficult to lift, Samples said.

“If a door’s kicked in, or you think you’ve been robbed, don’t go inside. Call 9-1-1. Don’t confront an offender—they’re likely armed,” Samples said.

“If you get in your car and your stuff is gone, don’t touch anything. Get out of the car and make mental notes of what you’ve touched inside,” Samples said.

If approached by someone demanding something from you, comply with their demands, Samples said.

“Your goal is to survive the robbery with as little injury as possible. Cooperate, give them what they want, and follow their instructions. Don’t make sudden movements, and try to remain calm. Call 9-1-1 only when it is safe to do so,” Samples said.

Do not answer the door unless you know who is on the other side, and use the door peephole, Samples said. He also advised against giving rides to strangers and inviting strangers into your apartment.