Away from the insulated Notre Dame campus, students living just one mile off-campus this summer in South Bend were the victims of crime.

Notre Dame students are learning the hard way how crime prevention techniques can make a difference. Senior Andrew Miller said that after his house near Molly McGuire's was broken into twice this summer he and his roommates doubled their security efforts.

"Our landlord came over and screwed some windows shut and installed some additional locks, and we keep our alarm on now," said Miller. "A third break-in was attempted but the guys couldn't get through the front door locks."

But the crimes this summer did not stop at breaking and entering. A group of Notre Dame seniors living on a nearby street were robbed at gunpoint by masked men. Two weeks later it happened again, this time at another house on the same block. No one was hurt and quick police action led to the apprehension of the suspects on the other side of town as they attempted another robbery.

"What happened this summer is in my head probably 90 percent of the time," said one of the victims, who asked not to be identified. "I don't want to think that it happened only because it was summertime and no one else was really here because that makes it too easy to let your guard down now that everyone is back. You still have to be careful."

Even though the off-campus residences are technically out of the jurisdiction of the Notre Dame Security Police Department, the NDSP does work with the South Bend Police Department when it comes to protecting the students.

"Students may want to follow up with us after they contact the SBPD so that we can watch out for trends," said Chuck Hurley, assistant director of NDSP. "In areas where there has been a number of incidents we are doing what we can to make police presence more strongly felt."

Hurley also said it is important for students to report every crime and to be aware of what makes them easy targets, such as the fact that students are predictable and tend to follow the same schedule everyday. It is easy for anyone watching the house to know when it is empty, he said.

"There are certain implications to moving off campus," said Hurley." A student looking to move off campus should research the neighborhood and hope their landlord will be honest with them.

"Or, they can also get in touch with the Crime Prevention Bureau of the South Bend Police Department and ask about crime activity for that area. There is a problem and people need to be aware of it, but the last thing I would want to see is more division between Notre Dame and the South Bend community."

• Student forum offers few football ticket solutions
  
• Twenty-seven years after the University first admitted women, Notre Dame's band will officially undergo the Changing of the Guard
  
• ND to dedicate Learning Center
  
• University to help plan, create local
  
• Students fall victim to summer crime
  
• Alumni gifts to establish scholarship