UIPD reminds community to be aware of scammers, number spoofing
URBANA, Ill. – The University of Illinois Police Department is reminding community members to be mindful of scammers when receiving calls from a number you don’t recognize, even if it traces back to a legitimate business or agency. Phone number spoofing is a common practice for scammers. In the past several weeks, the University of Illinois Police Department has been notified by two different people who say they received a call that appeared on caller ID to come from the police department. The caller claimed that the person answering the call owed money to the IRS and there was a [...]
Overseas orientations prove beneficial for students, UIPD
SEOUL, South Korea — Upon returning from the University of Illinois Police Department’s first trip overseas to talk about campus safety with incoming international students, U. of I. Police Lt. Joan Fiesta says the experience was extremely valuable not only for students and their parents, but also the police department. UIPD’s campus safety messages have always been relayed by other university representatives who have for years been making the trip to Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu, China, and Seoul, South Korea, to complete what are known as pre-arrival orientation sessions for incoming students. But Fiesta said that the students’ personal interactions [...]
U. of I. Police recover loaded gun from vehicle just off campus
CHAMPAIGN – A man was arrested and an illegal firearm seized after police found a loaded handgun in a vehicle just blocks from the U. of I. campus late Saturday night. A patrol officer near Locust and John streets, Champaign, watched as a vehicle driven by Charles Peterson, 24, of Urbana, failed to stop for a stop sign around 11:23 p.m. Saturday. After the officer initiated the traffic stop, the vehicle pulled into a gas station at the corner of First and Green streets. Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer noticed a strong odor of cannabis coming from inside the [...]
U. of I. police reiterate safety tips during school break
As the school enters its hiatus and many students leave campus, those who stay during the break should take precautions to make sure they stay safe.With fewer people in the area, that also provides criminals with better opportunities to commit their crimes. But there are a few things you can do to significantly reduce your risk of being targeted by an offender. “These are things we want our campus community members to be doing year-round, but the campus environment during the break makes these tips particularly helpful,” said Lt. Joan Fiesta. Use SafeWalks. The free walking escort services provided by trained Student Patrol [...]
Stone named top U of I public safety official
Craig A. Stone, currently the chief of police for Ohio State University, has been selected as the executive director of public safety and chief of police for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, effective June 18.