It’s hard to define what stealing is and when, if ever, it is acceptable.
Characters like Robin Hood, who dishes out stolen goods from the wealthy to the poor, blur some of the lines. However, there are a few pretty solid dos and don’ts that apply in Sherwood Forest, as well as in LSU’s Enchanted Forest.
LSUPD is warning students to spend the extra money on a sturdy “u”-shaped bicycle lock this semester because of the growing number of bike thefts.
It should go without saying that stealing a bike is wrong, but as long as bikes are being stolen here and campuses around the world, it must be said.
However, students don’t just need to keep a close eye on their bikes. Thieves are looking for anything of value. On a campus where the majority of students own a smartphone and a laptop, the pickings are not slim.
And given the going rate of textbooks, students might want to keep those under lock and key too.
The question remains as to why some people choose the “five-finger discount.” Does the thief have a longing for some new wheels, or is the quick cash from selling the bike going to be used to feed their starving families? Is there a reason that makes stealing right?
Author Lemony Snicket summed it up pretty well when he said, “Stealing, of course, is a crime, and a very impolite thing to do. But like most impolite things, it is excusable under certain circumstances.”
Snicket goes on to explain stealing a painting because you want it in your home is inexcusable, but stealing it to eat it is perfectly excusable.
Humor aside, Snicket offers an interesting moral. If what you’re stealing cannot be directly used to meet a basic need, then it is not justifiable.
Considering that the Subway on campus isn’t hanging up wanted posters of a student who stole loaves of bread, most campus thefts don’t seem to fall into the excusable category as a life or death situation.
Therefore, those taking what does not belong to them on campus are partaking in an unjustifiable, detestable act that damages their character and, if caught, could cost them money in fines or even time in prison.
It is a simple matter of integrity. Do the right thing even when no one is looking. Considering that thieves have paid little notice to this virtue before, it’s doubtful they will begin anytime soon, but we should all hope the best.
Just in case, here are some helpful crime prevention tips from the LSUPD to keep your bike safe.
Some of these crime prevention tips include never leaving your bicycle unlocked and unattended, as well as engraving your name or driver’s license number on the bike. Keeping a record with a description of the bike and serial number will help police in attempting to recover your stolen bike.
Make sure to keep on the right side of the law by registering your bicycle. It is unlawful to use a bike on campus that has not been registered with the Baton Rouge Police Department.
I will reiterate that stealing is bad, but if you find yourself in an ethical dilemma as to whether or not theft is justifiable, just remember if you do not need it to satisfy basic human necessities, then leave it alone. Besides, there are plenty employment opportunities around campus.
Bikes are locked up to bike rack near Lockett Hall August 27, 2014
