The Midd Watch program was developed by the Middlebury College Department of Public Safety to help members of the College community protect their valuables. Midd Watch is Middlebury College’s name for a similar nationwide program "Operation Identification". These programs involve the permanent marking of valuables with your college identification number and recording identification information. The Midd Watch program is designed to help prevent thefts, aid law enforcement agencies in the recovery of stolen property and aid theft victims with reporting to the police and insurance companies. This program not only deters thefts by making stolen property more difficult to sell and easier to identify, but also expedites insurance claims in the event of loss. This program is available to all members of the Middlebury College community. All students, faculty and staff are encouraged to participate. However, your participation in the Midd Watch program does not make Middlebury College or its employees responsible for the security of your valuables.
The program works as follows:
1. Come to the Department of Public Safety and you will be provided with the following;
· An electric engraver. This will be signed out to you by leaving your Midd Card with one of the staff at the Department of Public Safety. You are encouraged to return the engraver as soon as possible so others may use it.
· A property inventory sheet on which you record identification information for each item of value.
2. Engrave your ID number on all moveable items of value. If an item has removable parts, be sure to mark all of the parts.
3. Methodically inventory the contents of each room and record the pertinent identification on the property inventory sheet.
4. Return the engraver and the completed property inventory sheet to the Department of Public Safety. You will be given a copy of the completed form and the original will be kept in the Department of Public Safety in a confidential file. If you should sell or give away one of these items on the list, be sure to contact us in writing so that we can note it in your file. Conversely, do the same should you buy or be given any new items that you wish included with your file.
5. If you do discover one of your items stolen, contact the Department of Public Safety immediately. You will be asked to complete a "Statement Form" outlining the details of the loss. This will be matched to the items indicated in your property inventory list. Then the Department of Public Safety can contact the local police department and give them a complete and accurate description of the stolen goods. The local police will likely place the information on a statewide police computer database. Here on the Middlebury campus, we will alert the public safety officers and other members of the Middlebury community who may help. If your stolen property is recovered, positive identification can be made so that it can be returned to you. Your work in registering and engraving the item will aid in the recovery of the item and, possibly, the prosecution of the thief.
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