As police services at other universities use theft prevention measures of their own, University Police Services uses a different kind of prevention to curtail thefts on campus.

University police issue rip-off tags in an effort to deter thefts and encourage students to keep track of their personal items, said Delmar Woodring, University police supervisor.

Those small tags -- that look like typical business cards -- list theft prevention tips and read, "You could have been ripped off," Woodring said.

University police issue approximately 1,000 tags per year, he said, adding that 300 could easily be issued in one night if they went out solely to distribute tags.

Cadets and student patrols are assigned to look in the libraries and recreational facilities for unattended items, Woodring said.

Both Woodring and Wayne Weaver, Univeristy police supervisor, said they do not know exactly when these tags were first issued but guessed that the tags were probably issued as early as the late-1970s or early-1980s.

Students' exposure to the tags seems as mixed as their thoughts about them.

Demetri Tsarouhis (junior-economics) said he thinks he saw a police officer patrolling to see if tags needed to be issued, but Kendra Itle (junior-animal bioscience) said she has never heard of them.

Although some students have a positive response others simply do not care, Weaver said.

Tsarouhis said he thinks University money should be put to other uses other than the rip-off tags.

"These funds could be redirected to other uses," Tsarouhis said.

A possible alternative for issuing tags in the libraries might be to have the librarians hold belongings behind the front desk, he said.

But Jodi Bower (junior-human development and family studies) said she thinks most people are responsible enough to take care of their belongings, although it is still a good idea.

"I think it's a good way, a good measure to prevent future thefts. It makes people think more about leaving things unattended," she said.

Although some students think the tags serve a positive purpose, not all of the campuses take these measures. For example, Penn State Harrisburg does not use those tags.

Similar cards were used for unlocked bicycles at this Commonwealth Campus, but they were discontinued several years ago because the problem diminished, said Charles Aleksy, supervisor of safety and police services at Penn State Harrisburg.

If someone leaves something unattended, it is taken into inventory and the police attempt to contact the owner, Aleksy said.

The University of Pennsylvania uses a policy similar to Penn State Harrisburg's to deter thefts.

If the police see something lying around they will stand by and wait for the person to return, said Jerry Leddy, a lieutenant with the University of Pennsylvania Police Department.

Police will handcuff an unattended bicycle to something secure or provide the owner with a kryptonite lock to deter bicycle thefts, Leddy said.

Another alternative for the police is to physically take the bicycle until the student calls, he said.

But Itle said she thinks confiscating bicycles is a bad idea.

"If you were to look at statistics and if it actually works, then yeah, but just proposing that sounds kind of harsh," Itle said. Itle added that she would probably get mad at the police for taking her bicycle and making her panic.

But Leddy said he thinks University of Pennsylvania's theft prevention works.

"Ours is effective in that we physically take control," Leddy said.

But Penn State is not as positive that the system works. Weaver said he does not know exactly how effective rip-off tags are, but the effort to issue the tags still continues.

"I'm sure it's done some good," he said.