According to an article in today's Daily Californian, there have been four armed robberies and several burglaries in the Southside area in the past month--and that's after UCPD supposedly beefed up their patrol units after more than ten people were robbed near campus between September 8th and September 11th this year.

Some advice to protect yourself:

1. Lock your doors. Every lock. Buy new deadbolts. Lock them.
2. Close your windows securely when nobody's home or everybody's asleep.
3. When walking alone (especially at night), don't be distracted by your cell phone or iPod. Stay alert. Try not to walk alone at all.
4. Carry pepper spray. Learn how to use it.
5. Use BearWalk. Call 30-45 minutes in advance, as they are often busy.
6. If you are getting robbed, give them what they want. It sucks having to get a new CalID and credit cards; it sucks even worse while recovering from a pistol whipping (which actually happened).

Stay safe. Or crawl in a corner and cower in fear. (Go here for more campus safety information.)