Vanderbilt University Public Safety and Metro Nashville Police Department received reports of Vanderbilt students being the victims of pickpocketing in downtown Nashville during the weekend of Aug. 28–29.
VUPS offers the following tips for keeping valuables safe:
- Beware crowded places. Purses should have a flap and a zipper. Shorten the straps on your bag or purse to keep it close to you.
- If you carry a backpack, wear it on your front rather than your back.
- If you carry a wallet in your pocket, it should be in the front pocket not in the back.
- Always look back before you leave a location to make sure you didn’t leave anything. This can save you a lot of worry and backtracking looking for forgotten items.
- Hold your bag or backpack instead of setting it down when you sit down.
- Secure all bags, gadgets and other valuables on your person.
- Keep your phone in a concealed or interior pocket.
- If you are “accidentally” bumped by an unknown person, check your pockets to make sure your phone and wallet are still there.
- If a stranger asks you for information, such as directions, keep a healthy distance from this person.
- Always be aware of your surroundings.
Students are also reminded that due to the higher transmissibility of the delta variant and the high rate of infection in the Nashville region, campus residents are encouraged to limit off-campus activities to reduce infection risk on campus—particularly for those who are unvaccinated, immunocompromised or under the age of 12, such as the children of faculty heads of house.