Theft is the number-one crime on campus. With thousands of students leaving campus this weekend for fall break, the possibility for theft increases considerably, said Gary Spear of the University's crime analysis unit.

"Over break, there are a lot of unprotected areas," Spear said. "And police officers rarely stumble on a crime in progress."

Because the arrest and recovery rates for stolen items are low — around 20 percent — Spear said students should take precautions before leaving for break.

One of the most obvious safety tips for students is to make sure that all doors and windows are securely locked. He also recommends taking valuable property such as computers, stereo systems and CD players home to avoid any possible theft.

For students who are reluctant to haul their belongings home with them, Sgt. Chris Ballard of the Champaign Police Department suggests locking valuable items in vehicle trunks.

"Don't bait the hook. In other words, don't leave valuables in plain view," Ballard said. "A burglar doesn't care if they have to break your $200 window to get a couple dollars' worth of change."

Because some students choose to stay on campus during the holiday week, Capt. Kris Fitzpatrick of the University Police Department advises students to find someone to check on their homes while they are away.

"Make sure you know who has a key and when they will be in and out of your residence," she said.

Ballard also recommends that students with unsecured mailboxes have their mail held over the holidays.

"Often, burglars will steal letters with credit card information," Ballard said. "There have been cases where someone's credit has been ruined as a result."

Ballard said most of the safety tips are common sense. These include double-checking all windows and balcony doors and drawing blinds before leaving. If a balcony door doesn't lock, Ballard recommended placing a two-by-four in the sliding door's track.

So far this year, Spear said 189 residential burglaries and 90 vehicular burglaries have been committed. By this time last year, 185 residences had been burglarized and 158 vehicles had been broken into.

Spear attributed the decline in vehicle burglaries to recent arrests of experienced and successful burglars. While the overall crime rate is down 19 percent from this time last year, Ballard emphasized the importance of taking precautions.

"Nobody wants to come home to find their property gone," Ballard said. "But if you follow these tips, you can avoid that altogether."