Snatching of handbags is the lead crime in Makerere University and is common at the Western gate. The most targeted are ladies since they are considered weaker and vulnerable. In this era of smartphones where many devote all their attention to, snatchers take advantage to grab hastily whatever they can and disappear.

Mbeiza Laureen Tabitha, a second year Bachelor of Journalism and Communication student at Makerere University recounts how she was robbed in her earlier days at Campus.

“It was an evening after lectures while I was moving home. A guy came and passed me, snatched my bag that had my phone, some pocket money and books and he ran away. I was so hurt and puzzled,” narrates Mbeiza.

Mbeiza represents many silent voices that have fallen victim to snatchers.

With only 50 police officers attached to the Makerere University Police station, a students’ population of over 35,000 scattered on the campus’ vast land can be challenging to contain.  According to police reports, most crimes done against students are by their fellow students and there are cases where students create links between thieves and the - would be victims.

A police officer who has been stationed at Makerere for close to four years but didn’t want his identity revealed says that crimes at campus are not that grave; they include but are not limited to theft of mobile phones, cameras and laptops; vandalizing of cars, unlawful demonstrations by students and a few cases of assault during the course of the semester.

However, the most common among all these crimes is snatching of ladies’ phones and bags. Some happen within campus but many happen outside - within students’ communities of Wandegeya and Kikoni.

It is believed that the crime rate is higher during holidays than it is in the course of the semester. “We get some relief when students come back from holidays because then cases and attempts of theft are fewer compared to when this whole place is quiet and thieves take advantage because we cannot be everywhere all the time, we are few,” ASP Arinaitwe Oliver, the in-charge Makerere Police station said.

Car vandalism is also common mostly over the weekends and this semester alone, five cases have been registered already. Two incidences happened during day time and three in the night.

“At least for every case of car vandalism reported, a laptop, camera or phone was taken; we are yet to find out whether these thieves use some kind of gadgets to detect what is contained in the car before its vandalized,” Amali Jackson who is the O/C CID Makerere University Police station told journalism@mak.

He added that in a bid to curb these crimes, plain-clothed detectives are positioned at different spots coupled with routine patrols around campus.