3
i
)er 2,1997.
lesday • September 2, 1997
Lifestyles
University Police Department studies show
not every Aegie lives by the Code of Honor
“ohnny Backpack is a freshman general studies
I major from little town, Texas. Johnny is fired up
to be an Aggie, and would never lie. cheat, steal
tolerate those who do, as the Aggie Code of Hon-
rstates. Johnny left his dorm room open one day
en he went, to do his laundry. It is too bad that his
tg nature cost him his wallet, calculator, CD
erand lucky bandana.
Theft is one of the biggest problems on campus and
the most often reported crime, said University Police
Department spokesperson Lt. Bert Kretzschmar.
Stealing may bring to mind an image of cat-suited
burglars with suction cup shoes and night vision gog
gles intricately planning to swipe the great baseball di
amond. But as a student at Texas A&M University, one
can also be wary of a Polo-shirted sophomore with
shaky scruples and an opportunity to strike when no
one is looking.
Kretzschmar, a member of the U PD s Crime Preven
tion Unit, said most thefts on campus are not break-ins
or grand heists, bu t so-called “crimes of opportunity.”
“Crimes of opportunity happen when people see
open doors, unsecured windows or purses and back
packs lying around unattended,” Kretzschmar said.
Many students do not think twice about leaving
their backpack on a library table or in a classroom
seat for a few minutes. This is why crimes of oppor
tunity are successful.
The most common items stolen include purses,
wallets, jewelry, backpacks, calculators and comput
er parts —- basically anything that can he carried out
of an area inconspicuously, Kretzschmar said.
"The contents of an average backpack may be
worth from $300 to $400, and a purse may be worth
up to $10,000 in credit cards,” Kretzschmar said,
“One student I know of had two years worth of re
search stolen that was in his backpack. When peo
ple are not paying attention someone can walk right
out with your belongings.”
Labs and open areas are the most popular feeding
grounds for thieves, according to the UPD.
“Students must remember that A&M is an open
campus, where anybody can enter and leave,” Kret
zschmar said, “It’s not as much a problem in the resi
dence halls, which have restricted card access and
locked doors. But a large variety of people have access
to the common areas on campus. It’s not just students
that are stealing.”
There are those who believe that the Code of Hon
or is doing it’s job. Stella Roberts, director of the Uni
versity Book Store, said she believes most students are
honest and abide by the Code of Honor.
“We have had extremely good luck in the bookstore
with customers and student workers,” Roberts said.
“Stealinghas not been a problem, and 1 hope it won’t
soon be. If a student is stealing out of a situation of
need. 1 hope they would come talk to us first. Students
need to think of the lasting consequences that a little
shoplifting can create.
I think we have a very high caliber of students at
A&M, and that goes along wit h the Code of Honor.”
There are others who are not so trusting in the stu
dent body. Tammy Amaro, a junior English major, is a
bit more cautious in her attitude.
Please see Stealing on Page 5.
heal merchants provide equipment, entertainment for aspiring rock stars in the Brazos Valley
■HE
4TA1N
q ERly
own
\S
RDAY
By Stephen Wells
Staff writer
oe Aggie, guitarist supreme, put on a hot show last
night. Unfortunately, he woke up this morning to dis
cover that his guitar lay in several pieces on the floor,
fidrummer has no more sticks to play with and his vo-
iist is now the proud owner of one messed up micro-
|sone. Across town, Jill Aggie decides she is a talented vo
lt who deserves a bigger venue than her daily singing
the shower can accommodate. These are people with
s. Where do they go?
Fortunately, Bryan-College Station supports a large num-
ofbusinesses catering to aspiring professional musicians.
Students at Texas A&M are able to pick and choose mu-
Kalsuppliers at their leisure without stooping to haggling
hithsome burned-out 70s rocker because he owns the
instore in town.
fotthose who prefer Charlie Parker to Rage Against the
Mine, Bryan is the home of the String and Horn Shop.
The String and Horn Shop is the largest store in Bryan-
College Station dedicated to the sale of wind and orches
tral musical instruments. They maintain all manner of mu-
sic-making instruments for sale or on a rent-to-own basis,
and provide the various greases, polishes and oils required
; “A lot of people come at Christmas with a
| New Year’s resolution to learn to play guitar,
and we try to help them out.”
TOM BYER
EMPLOYEE OF TIP TOP MUSIC
to keep a horn or violin in working condition.
This shop serves many of the Brazos County school dis
tricts and offers every brand of item from manufactured
tin horns to renowned European-made string instruments.
For those dyed-in-the-denim ska artists, this is a good
place to pick up an easily-abusable stage horn and get a
few private lessons for a reasonable price.
A wide variety of private lesson teachers and repair spe
cialists have set up shop near Coulter Drive on Texas Av
enue. Vocal teachers, piano repairmen and guitar lessons
can be found in a two block radius of Coulter.
Tom Byer, an employee of Tip Top Music in downtown
Bryan, said the area where the shop is located is some
what unknown.
“Unfortunately, not many students know about what’s
available once they get past Villa Maria,” he said.
On Coulter Drive are Tip Top Music and Lange Music
City. Both stores sell guitars and guitar-related equipment.
The only difference is the brand names they sell. Lange Mu
sic City also offers drums, drum hardware and drum mi
crophones. Tip Top Music employees are interested in the
beginning guitarist and offer a free half-hour lesson with
every new guitar purchase.
Please see Music Stores on Page 5.
m
ROBERT MCKAY/The Battalion
Brendan Murphy, an employee of Lippman
Music Store and junior construction science
major, tunes a guitar at Lippman Music Store.
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next to Chilis in College Station
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