Greg RislingORANGE COAST COLLEGE -- For the...

Greg Risling

ORANGE COAST COLLEGE -- For the third time in five years, crime on

campus has declined, according to a report released Wednesday.

Compiled by the school’s public safety department, the report shows a

dramatic drop from last year’s figures. Most of the crimes reported were

burglaries or vandalism and less than 10% of the incidents on campus were

violent crimes.

Last year’s figures, from July 1, 1998 to June 30, 1999, show a total

of 137 incidents, compared to 174 the previous year. Over the past five

years the campus has not had more than 200 crimes per year.

There were two sexual assaults within a month of each other that took

place on campus. Last September, a 17-year-old girl kicked her way out of

a corner when a man allegedly fondled her breasts and rubbed her leg. Her

assailant was never arrested.

The second encounter happened three weeks later when a young man was

walking to his car and he claimed he was grabbed in the crotch by another

man. He told police that the two exchanged words before the victim

notified security.

Other statistics for last year include: 17 vehicle thefts, 27

burglaries (personal items), 43 petty thefts (personal items) and 11

accounts of vandalism.

Although the numbers have declined, school officials suggest that the

best way to avoid becoming a victim is traveling in pairs or groups.

“We try to stress the buddy system,” said John Farmer, chief of the

campus Public Safety Department. “I can’t remember a time when there are

two people together that they have been attacked.”