Report all emergencies and crimes directly to Public Safety in person or by telephone.  Public Safety's emergency line is 843.574.6911 (6911 from any campus phone).  You can also notify Public Safety by using emergency call boxes located in parking lots or on building exteriors.  If TTC telephone lines are out of service, call Public Safety at 843.572.1642.    For non-emergency situations, or to provide any information on the following cases, please call Public Safety at 843.574.6053 (6053 from any campus phone).

Robbery
Main Campus
August 20, 2008

On August 20, 2008, approximately 4:30 a.m., Public Safety responded to the sounds of an altercation between two or more people who appeared to be located in the woods adjacent to Bldg. 950.  Public Safety and North Charleston Police conducted a search of the area and located a male (victim) who claimed that two other males (subjects) had hit him and stolen money from him.  The male subjects were not located.  The victim, who did not appear to have any injuries, was assessed by EMS at the scene, and later transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.

Public Safety will increase patrols of the parking lots around Buildings 900, 940, and 950. 

As always, if you observe any suspicious activities or persons, please notify Public Safety immediately. 

Emergency Number:                   574.6911 (or x6911 from an in-house phone) 
Non-emergency Number:           574.6053 (or x6053 from an in-house phone)
Exterior call boxes:                     Automatically calls Public Safety’s emergency number

Automobile Break-in
Main Campus
June 30, 2008

A vehicle that was left overnight in a parking lot on the Main Campus was broken into sometime between 8:30 p.m. Sunday, June 29, 2008 and 12:29 a.m. Monday, June 30, 2008.  The owner, a student, was notified and removed the vehicle from campus.  The owner did not report anything missing from the vehicle.

Malicious Injury to Property (Vandalism)
Main Campus
June 30, 2008

A TTC owned vehicle, operated by Public Safety, was spray painted along the passenger side of the vehicle.  The damage was noticed on Monday June 30, 2008 morning, and may have occurred during the same time period as the automobile break-in above.

Suspicious Person
Main Campus
April 10, 2008

On Wednesday, April 9, 2008, around 8:40 p.m., Public Safety received a report of a suspicious person outside of Building 940.  This report resulted when a female student believed that she saw someone or something in the bushes as she was leaving the building.  The student reported that she first heard a sound, and then saw something white, which she believed may have been a white shirt.  The student became frightened, ran back into the building, and immediately alerted a faculty member. 

The student was not able to positively identify that it was a person or provide any further descriptive information; however, she perceived a threat.  A search of the parking lot and grounds around the building by Public Safety met with negative results in locating anyone in the area.  The parking lot was reported to have been very dark at the time of incident.  Public Safety notified Facilities Management that a portion of the exterior lighting system was malfunctioning. 

In response to this incident, Public Safety will increase patrols of this parking lot and offer escorts, especially during the evening hours. 

General Crime Prevention Tips:

1.       Consider walking with others when leaving buildings at night.
2.       Request escorts from Public Safety by calling 574.6053 (6053 from a campus phone).
3.       Place Public Safety’s phone numbers in your cell phone (574.6053 for non-emergencies;
          574.6911 for emergencies).
4.       Park vehicles near parking lot lights.
5.       Be aware of your surroundings, and have a plan to respond if confronted with a threat.
6.       Have car keys in hand when you leave a building.
7.       Consider taking a free Rape Aggression Defense class.  These classes are offered to   
female faculty, staff, and students each semester.
8.       Report any safety concerns, to include malfunctioning lights, suspicious persons, etc. to Public Safety.

Stolen Automobile
Main Campus
February 5, 2008

On the morning of February 5, 2008 between 09:30-11:00 a.m.,  a 1986 White Chevrolet Caprice was reported stolen to Public Safety. The Suspect is unknown at this time. The vehicle was parked in Lot L next to the 630 building. If anyone has any information on this crime please contact the Public Safety Department at 843.574.6053.

UPDATE:

On February 18, 2008, the vehicle was recovered in Berkeley County.  Unfortunately, the vehicle had been burned and is a total loss.  Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office is assisting in the investigation.

Suspicious Activity
Main Campus
December 3, 2007

On December 3, 2007, a male student reported to Public Safety that on or around November 27, 2007, he may have fallen prey to a scam to collect his personal information.

The student stated that he was approached by a white female (approximately 34 years old, blonde hair, approximately 5’7”/140 lbs. wearing a black fleece sweater, jeans and black boots) inside Bldg. 410 at the Main Campus.  The female was handing out pieces of paper that were the size of a business card.  The paper appeared to be a coupon that entitled the bearer to a free lunch at the Subway located at 7400 Rivers Ave.  The coupon stated that “student ID was required.”

The student went to the Subway where he saw 3 males, who appeared to be of Middle Eastern descent, with laptop computers.  The males requested that the student provide his TTC student ID and type in his personal information into their computer.  The student provided them with his student ID card, and the males took a close-up photograph of the ID card.  The student also provided personal information to include his name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number.  The males explained to the student that the information was to be used to provide the student with a chance at “winning” a free credit card.

The student is now concerned that his personal information may be used for illegitimate purposes, and that his identity has been compromised.  The student also stated that other students were present at the Subway when he was there, and that the males may have been operating at the Subway from Tuesday, November 27, 2007 through Friday, November 30, 2007.

Anyone who may have encountered the woman at Bldg. 410, or went to the Subway to provide their personal information is asked to contact Public Safety.  At this time, the North Charleston Police Department is unaware of any similar complaints, and it has not been confirmed that the activity at the Subway was a scam; however, the circumstances surrounding this incident are certainly suspicious.

Public Safety provided the student with information on contacting the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to make a complaint, and reporting this as a possible fraud alert to the three major credit bureaus.  The FTC just sent out the following information today, December 3, 2007:

Recent headlines about data breaches and losses of personal information have prompted many companies to advertise products or services to help consumers prevent or minimize their risk of identity theft. The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, says before you pay for an identity theft prevention product or service, make sure you understand exactly what you’re paying for. Read more at www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/idtheft/idt05.shtm

Petit Larceny
Main Campus
December 3, 2007

On Monday, December 3, 2007, approximately 11:20 a.m. Public Safety received a call from building 940 concerning a black male stealing a purse from a desk. Witnesses saw the suspect leave the building and speed off in a white compact car with a red paper tag from McElveen Pontiac.

The Suspect is described as a black male, approximately 5' 09" and 210 lbs. and wearing a blue jump suit with a name tag.

Anyone having information to this case is urged to contact Public Safety immediately at 843.574.6053.

Crime Prevention Tip:

Keep all valuables, purses, etc. locked in desk/locker. This particular type of crime occurs all to frequently at the college. Contact Public Safety immediately should you see a suspicious person in your area. Do not engage in conversation with the person, walk away and make note of the person's physical characteristics and vehicle description. Call Public Safety immediately and provide them with all the information that you can recall, to include the person's direction of travel.

Public Safety's Emergency Line is 843.574.6911

Public Safety's Non-emergency Line is 843.574.6053

Grand Larceny/Arrests
Main Campus
October 8, 2007

On Monday, October 8, 2007, at approximately 11:35 p.m., a public safety officer was patrolling near the Building 950 construction site when he saw a pick-up truck, occupied by a white male and a black male, leaving the area.  The officer observed that the truck had a crated heat pump unit in the bed of the truck.  The officer immediately recognized the unit to be one of several units that were staged at the construction site.  The officer conducted a lawful stop of the vehicle, and a second officer responded to the scene.  The two occupants were subsequently arrested and charged with grand larceny.  The unit recovered was valued at approximately $5,000.

Stolen Vehicle/Recovered Vehicle
Palmer Campus
October 5, 2007

On Friday, October 5, 2007 at approximately 12:30 in the afternoon, Public Safety received a complaint from a staff member that her rental vehicle was missing from the Palmer parking lot.  The complainant showed officers where she had parked the vehicle, and the officers searched the parking lot, but they were unable to locate the vehicle.  Public Safety contacted the rental agency and they advised that they had not picked up the vehicle.  The vehicle was removed sometime after 8:15 a.m. and before 12:30 p.m.

The complainant stated that she had left the keys to the vehicle inside a tote bag that she had placed underneath her desk.  The complainant also stated that she had left her office unsecured and unattended at some point during the incident period.  The keys and the remote access device were removed from the complainant’s key ring.

The vehicle, a 2007 Silver Ford Focus, was recovered by North Charleston PD in their jurisdiction around 1:38 a.m. on Saturday, October 6, 2007.  The vehicle was not damaged, and the complainant’s personal belongings were still inside the vehicle. 

Public Safety is continuing to investigate this incident.  Anyone who may have seen someone wandering around the offices inside the Palmer Campus or the parking lot, or seen with this vehicle last Friday, is urged to contact Public Safety immediately at 574.6053 (x6053 from any campus phone).

Again, please be reminded to secure personal property or items of value.  If you must step away from your office, and it is not convenient to lock your office door (or if you do not have an office door), please consider securing your belongings inside a locked desk or file cabinet drawer.  As always, if you see any suspicious activities or persons, please contact Public Safety immediately at 574.6053 (x6053 from any campus phone) or for emergencies, 574.6911 (x6911 from any campus phone).

Assault with Intent to Commit Criminal Sexual Conduct
Main Campus
October 4, 2007

On October 4, 2007 at approximately 8:09 p.m., a female student/victim notified Public Safety that she had just been assaulted by an unknown black male while she was exiting Building 200.  The male subject was described as young (18-25 years old), approximately 5’10” tall and 240 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.  The subject was wearing a white shirt that covered his head and most of his face.

The victim stated that the subject grabbed her from behind and forcibly fondled her before she was able to break free from the subject.  The subject then fled from the scene, heading from Building 200 toward Rivers Avenue.  The victim immediately returned to Building 200 and notified Public Safety.  A Public Safety officer responded to the victim’s location within a minute.  Additional officers searched the area for the subject; however, the subject was not located.

The victim sustained a minor injury apparently as a result of the incident.

Public Safety is investigating the incident and will increase patrols throughout the area.  The victim is receiving additional support from Public Safety and has been referred to the College’s Interpersonal Violence Counselor for assistance.

Anyone having information about this incident is asked to contact Public Safety at 843.574.6053 (6053 from a campus phone). 

The victim is to be commended for her quick thinking and reaction to this crime.  Many of the actions taken by the victim are provided in Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) classes which are offered at the college.  If you are a female who is interested in attending one of these classes, please contact Public Safety at 843.574.6053. 

Public Safety is also glad to provide escorts upon request.  Campus emergency phones are located at various locations in parking lots or outside buildings (on all campuses), which provide direct dial access to Public Safety.  Red phones located inside buildings may also be used to contact Public Safety.  Faculty, staff and students are also encouraged to program Public Safety’s numbers into their cell phones:

Public Safety’s Emergency Line is 843.574.6911

Public Safety’s Non-emergency Line is 843.574.6053

Petit Larceny/Financial Identity Fraud
Main Campus
September 21, 2007

On September 21, 2007, a faculty member reported that her wallet was stolen from her office on September 20, 2007.  The faculty member noticed that her wallet was missing around 3:30 p.m., and she immediately contacted her bank.   The bank advised her that person/s unknown had already made several fraudulent charges on her credit cards, probably within the first hour after her wallet was stolen.

The faculty member stated that her wallet was inside her purse, which she had placed underneath her desk.  Admittedly, she left her office unsecured for a few moments several times during the day.   Unfortunately, the faculty member has also learned firsthand how easy it is to become a victim of not just one crime, but perhaps a continuing series of crimes involving the theft of her identity.

This semester, similar incidents of theft have occurred in Buildings 410, 300, and 200.  It is not known if these crimes are connected, or if they are separate incidents.  Either way, these crimes can be prevented.  Please secure wallets, purses and other items of value (in locked drawers or cabinets, etc.), and please secure unattended offices—even if you intend to be away for only a few minutes. 

If you observe any suspicious activities or persons, please call Public Safety immediately at  574.6053 (6053 from a campus phone), or on the emergency line at 574.6911 (6911 from a campus phone).

Petit Larceny
Main Campus
September 9, 2007

On September 12, 2007, Public Safety received a report from a faculty member that her wallet had been removed from her purse.  The faculty member believed that the incident occurred on September 10, 2007, but she did not notice that the wallet was missing until the following day.  The faculty member recalls stepping away from her office briefly on September 9, 2007 and leaving her office unsecured.  The purse was stored in an unlocked file cabinet inside her office.  The wallet contained cash, credit cards and various forms of identification.

Today, the faculty member notified Public Safety that she had retrieved her wallet after being contacted over the weekend by a local law enforcement department.  According to the information she received, her wallet was found under a house that was the location of a drug raid.  Most of the faculty member’s personal identification and credit cards were removed from the wallet and were not retrieved.  The faculty member is now concerned about identify theft. 

The faculty member graciously agreed to share this information in hopes that others will  become more security conscious when protecting personal property.  As evidenced in this case, it only takes a minute to become a victim of a crime.

Please do not leave personal property or items of value unattended and unsecured.  Desk drawers, file cabinets, and underneath desks are the first places that thieves look for purses and wallets.  If you must step away from your office, and it is not convenient to lock your office door (or if you do not have an office door), please consider securing your belongings inside a locked desk or file cabinet drawer.  As always, if you see any suspicious activities or persons, please contact Public Safety immediately at 574.6053 (x6053 from any campus phone) or for emergencies, 574.6911 (x6911 from any campus phone).

Petit Larcenies (Purses)
Main Campus
August 20 and August 22, 2007

Public Safety received two reports this week regarding stolen purses.  The first incident occurred on Monday morning, August 20, from a computer lab in Bldg. 920; the second on Wednesday afternoon, August 22, from an office in Bldg. 410. 

Unfortunately, these incidents occur often, especially during this busy time of the year.  Please ensure that you keep all valuables with you or safely secured (under lock) when not attended.  As always, if you observe any suspicious activities or persons, please notify Public Safety at 574.6053 (6053 from a campus phone) for non-emergencies; 574.6911 (6911 from a campus phone) for emergency situations only.

Malicious Injury to Property
Main Campus
August 2, 2007 & August 8, 2007

Public Safety has received two reports of vandalism occurring inside Bldg. 920 within the last week.  The first reported incident was to an interior door in the rear section of the building.  Person/s unknown destroyed the door in a possible attempt to gain entry.  The second incident involved damage to beverage covers in the Culinary Arts hallway.  Apparently, both of these incidents occurred after normal working hours.  It is not known at this time if the incidents are related.

Please be alert for any suspicious activities or persons inside this building, and contact Public Safety at 574.6053 (6053 from a campus phone) if you have any information on these incidents, or if you observe any questionable activity.  Public Safety will be increasing patrols of the building.

Suspicious Activity
Main Campus
July 25, 2007

On Wednesday, 7/25/07, Public Safety responded to a call that a female student had been followed onto campus by an unknown male/subject.  The student recognized the subject as someone she had just seen at Starbucks on Rivers Avenue. 

The subject followed  the student onto campus and approached her while she was at her vehicle.  The subject then asked the student some personal questions, which alarmed and frightened her.  Other students nearby, who witnessed the subject’s actions, quickly came to the female student’s aid.  This caused the subject to leave campus quickly.  The responding students also provided Public Safety with a good description of the subject and his vehicle, and they recorded the subject’s license plate number.  Within a short time, the subject was positively identified.  Subsequently, the subject has been placed on trespass notice.  At this time, the subject is not facing any criminal charges related to this incident.

As a result of information provided to the investigating officer during an interview with the subject, an alert was sent out to surrounding law enforcement agencies.   Public Safety learned today that at least one other agency has been investigating similar complaints in their jurisdiction, (also at a Starbucks) which may be related to this subject.

The subject is a white male in his twenties, and was driving a silver Honda.

If you have experienced a similar encounter, or know of someone who has been followed onto campus, please contact Public Safety immediately at 574.6053 (6053 from a campus phone). 

The students who came to the aid of the female student are to be commended for their quick actions and for capturing detailed information about the subject.  Without their help, the subject’s identity would likely remain unknown.

Public Safety offers Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) and Refuse to be a Victim (RTBAV) classes free of charge.  If you are interested in attending these classes, please call Public Safety for additional information.
 

Armed Robbery/Shooting
Zaxby’s (Near TTC Main Campus)
June 3, 2007

On 6/3/07, approximately 10:56 p.m., an armed robbery occurred at the Zaxby’s restaurant located near the Main Campus.  During the robbery, two victims were shot.  The North Charleston Police Department and TTC Public Safety officers conducted a search for the suspect on the Main Campus.  As of 4:00 a.m. this morning, the suspect, described only as a black male, had not been apprehended.

Petit Larceny
Main Campus
May 31, 2007

Public Safety received a report that a female student in Bldg. 920 (800 hallway) had money removed from her purse while the purse was left unattended in the classroom.  Another female student reported that it appeared that person/s unknown had also gone through her purse, but nothing had been removed.  At the time of the incident (10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.), the students were on break and their personal belongings were left unattended in an unlocked classroom. 

Crime Prevention Tip:  As always, the easiest way to prevent this type of crime from occurring is to ensure that personal belongings and other valuables are not left unattended.  Anyone having information on this incident (seeing suspicious persons and/or activity during this time period) is asked to contact Public Safety at 574.6053 (6053 from a campus phone).

Petit Larceny of Money
Main Campus Building 100
December 1, 2006 

An employee left her office open between 11:30 AM and 11:45 AM and returned to find a subject going through her handbag. When the subject was challenged, he left in an unknown direction and the employee discovered that twenty dollars was missing from her purse.

The subject is described as a black male wearing black pants and a burgundy shirt with the College of Charleston logo spelled out.  The subject appeared to be broad in stature with a close cut hair style and approximately 5' 8" in height. The subject is further described as clean cut, polite and well spoken.

This type of crime and other crimes tend to increase this time of the season. Please be proactive and secure offices, master classrooms and other sensitive areas when you leave. Handbags, purses and other valuables should be secured or kept on your person. If you observe any unusual or suspicious activity or persons, please contact Public Safety Dispatch as soon as possible at extension 6053 or 574.6053 from off campus.  For any on-campus emergency, please call extension 6911 or 574.6911.

Malicious Injury to Personal Property/Arrests
Main Campus
September 14, 2006

Thanks to the quick action of several Service Solutions (SSC) custodians, an attempt to steal money from the vending machines in building 800 on September 14, 2006 was thwarted. Four SSC employees noticed two subjects acting suspiciously around the vending area. They observed that one subject had a prying device and was in the process of prying open one of the soda machines. They indicated that the second subject was the lookout. While one of the employees notified Public Safety, the others kept watch on the perpetrators. Upon officers’ arrival, a brief chase ensued and the subjects were taken into custody. The subjects are not associated with Trident Technical College and had no official business on campus.

Service Solutions and its employees are to be commended. Several times in the past they have sounded the alarm and provided key assistance in preventing crimes. If you see a crime taking place, please report it to Public Safety at 843.574.6052 from a personal telephone or extension 6052 from any campus telephone.

Drug Law Violations/Arrests
Palmer Campus
September 13, 2006

Two Trident Technical College students were arrested on the afternoon of September 13, 2006 by officers from the Charleston City Police Department and charged with distribution of a controlled substance (marijuana) within the proximity of a school and simple possession of a controlled substance (marijuana). The incident occurred in the Palmer Campus parking lot and Public Safety officers were in key positions to provide assistance.

The latest crime statistics maintained by Public Safety indicate that this is the first drug violation arrest at the College in recent memory. Please contact Public Safety immediately if you observe or suspect that illegal activity is taking place. We can be reached at extension 6052 from any campus telephone or 843.574.6052 from off campus.

Grand Larceny
Main Campus
January 17, 2006

Around 3 p.m. on 1/17/06, person/s unknown entered a classroom in Building 500 and removed several cameras and camera accessories that belonged to students.  At the time of the incident, the students were in an adjacent room and the classroom containing their equipment was left was unlocked.

Upon receiving the report, Public Safety officers canvassed the area but could not find the cameras or anyone having possession of cameras outside of the classroom.  Anyone who may have observed suspicious persons or activity in or around Bldg. 500 during the incident period is urged to call Public Safety 574.6053.