Delta relatively safe for students, staff

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Considering the high crime rate of Stockton, Delta College is a relatively safe campus.

According to crimegraphics.com, Delta College had one burglary and two Larceny/Theft incidents in 2012.

There were six robberies in 2012, nine in 2013 and only two in 2014. According to the Delta campus police clery report.

As for the current year, there have been two robberies: One in the woman’s restroom on the first floor of Holt and an unrelated robbery of a student for $10.

Not all crimes are reported.

And not all crimes involving students happen on campus. Sometime in mid-February, Delta College student Netfa Bent’s car was allegedly broken into by a man whose name is unknown.

Bent was at the RTD bus stop on Pacific Avenue facing the mall when he met the suspect for the first time.

“I didn’t know him that well,” said Bent. “I only met him once … We were hanging out and I bought some food stamps off him. That was pretty much all,” Bent said.

Bent said he got a phone call from the man at the bus stop a few days later.

“He asked me if he could sleep in my car cause he’s homeless. But I said no, ‘cause I didn’t know him like that. Then that night he went to my house, broke into my car and slept in it and stole my registration.”

Bent said the man isn’t even a student of Delta, but said he believes the man hangs out on campus to try to buy drugs.

According to the Campus police Clery report, there were 18 arrests for drug law violations in 2012, 15 in 2013 and 7 in 2014.

“I’m not surprised he did what he did,” said Netfa. “He does all kinds of hard drugs.”

There is no record of Bent reporting the drug accusations.

“There hasn’t really been a time where the crime rate was either at a high or low,” said Acting Director of Police Services and Programs, Robert Di Piero. “It varies from year to year.”

On March 9, a female Delta College professor was robbed for her jewelry in the first floor Holt woman’s restroom between 1:30 p.m. and 1:53 p.m., according to a campus police email.

“We are still looking for leads,” said Di Piero. “Which is why we are asking anyone with information on the incident to come forward and tell us about it. It’s a team effort.”

A surveillance video released by campus police shows what looks to be an African American woman walking into the Holt building from the Holt 1 parking lot. The suspect looks to be about 5’8, heavy set woman with a blue jean jacket with a white t-shirt underneath and black pants.

She didn’t have a backpack, just a purse.

It is possible that the suspect may not even be a part of the campus in any way.

“Delta’s campus being open to the public is a concern,” said Di Piero “We get some people who aren’t even students coming on to campus, looking for trouble. We also have trespassers at night: homeless people, drunks or just some kids goofing off. We run into all kinds of things here.”

Campus police have not named the victim of the assault.

The woman who robbed the professor in Holt’s women’s bathroom is still being sought and police are asking for anyone with information to come forward.

“And this goes for anything,” said Di Piero, “If a stair rail is loose, let someone know. If you see something, say something.”