Though most UT students used the break to catch up on sleep, crime never takes a vacation. On average, UTPD reported two cases of criminal activity each day over the course of winter break.
About 26 thefts, 18 alcohol-related crimes and eight instances of illegal drug use were reported since classes ended. Compiled from UTPD reports, here are a few of the most notable incidents:
A UTPD officer found a man, who was not a UT student, asleep in the driver’s seat of his parked vehicle near the UT parking lots on Red River Street on Dec. 13. The officer found more than five pounds of marijuana stashed in his Chevrolet pickup truck, along with a large sum of cash. Upon further investigation, the police discovered a rented storage unit in the man’s name containing more than 45 pounds of marijuana.
The Texas Department of Public Safety requested assistance from UTPD when a group of three UT students refused to pay a cab fare on Dec. 13. According to the UTPD crime log, a DPS officer arrested one of the students for public intoxication and failure to produce valid identification. The other students were issued citations for consumption of alcohol by a minor.
A fist fight between three male students in an alley near the 400 block of West 27th Street was broken up by a few witnesses on Dec. 14. The three males, who were bloodied and wearing disheveled clothing, were surrounded by a crowd of onlookers. Once a UTPD officer arrived, each of the fighters were given citations for both disorderly conduct and consumption of alcohol by a minor. No serious injuries were reported.
A UT Parking and Transportation Services staff member alerted UTPD of a possible vehicle burglary in progress at the intersection of 21st and San Jacinto streets on Dec. 16. UTPD officers arrived on the scene to find three cars — a green Ford, a gray Lexus and a tan Jeep — had been broken into by two men who fled the area. The case is still under investigation.
A door alarm on the fifth floor of the Student Activity Center was set off on Dec. 18. At the time, the fifth floor of the building was restricted by proxy card access via the elevator. A UTPD officer arrived to search the building and observed a man exiting a side door. The man was arrested for criminal trespass.
The Pickle Research Campus lost $7,600 worth of copper wire, stripped wire and batteries on Dec. 20. The property was stolen from an unsecured storage room in Building 33. Police are not certain of the number of people involved in the theft, but the investigation is ongoing.
Graffiti that read “BUCK, BTK, BOREU” was reported in a men’s restroom in Waggener Hall on Dec. 20. The markings were made on the outside of the restroom windows in black permanent marker. There are no suspects, and the case has been categorized as inactive.
A UTPD officer on patrol found a vehicle stopped in the middle of the intersection of 15th and Lavaca streets on Dec. 21. The driver, an intoxicated student, had struck a bicycle. The bicyclist was not seriously injured. The driver was ticketed for driving under the influence and driving without a license before being released.
