Photo by Amanda Gahler. 

CHARLES TIMS STAFF WRITER

A Wartburg student’s mother called her and asked why she hadn’t thanked her grandmother for the gift cards she sent her.

The student was unaware of receiving anything besides an envelope. Later campus security informed her she was a victim of theft, in which her gift cards were stolen.

John Myers, director of campus security and safety, said the gift cards were mailed out Dec. 15, but when the student checked her mail box on Jan. 11, there was nothing but a torn envelope in her box.

“We’re working with the mail room, so that if mail comes in that’s damaged it can be reported immediately,” Myers said. “That way, we can know if it happened in the mail room or on the student side of things.”

Myers said this is the only case of mail theft security knows of this year.

He said there is not much they can do at this point besides making sure people take precautions.

“Gift cards are untraceable,” Myers said. “It’s like losing single dollars, there’s not much anyone can do about it.”

Prevent mail theft

Myers said campus security and the mail room employees have come up with a plan to prevent any type of theft in student mail boxes from happening again.

The plan consists of three parts: reporting any damaged mail, making sure students lock their boxes at all times and being aware of suspicious activity around the mail box area.

Katie Weisert, a mail room employee, said keeping the boxes locked was important.

She said even though it gets tiresome, it is just safer to keep them locked.

“People think it’s easier to leave their boxes unlocked so they don’t have to put in the long combination,” Weisert said. “It only makes it easier for someone to get in and take something,”

Corey Figura, another mail room employee, said reporting damaged mail to the mail room or security as quick as possible is important.

It will be easier for security to investigate if the mail theft or damage is reported in a timely manner.