Students living in the former Mariënbosch monastery are setting up a WhatsApp group in an effort to reduce burglaries. SSH& is not aware of these burglaries and wants to talk to residents to find out what is going on.

Spanish exchange student Paula Higuera Montalva moved in last in August and became a victim in September: someone broke into her room in the SSH& complex Mariënbosch. She is extremely annoyed. “They took my laptop, mobile phone and € 100 in cash.”

She had left a window on the latch, which is how the thieves got in. “I wouldn’t say that I’d been negligent: the thief couldn’t just walk in or anything.” The burglary has made her feel less safe, says Montalva. “I take all my valuables to university with me now.”

Community police officer
Stories about burglaries in Mariënbosch, the monumental former monastery in the woods in Nijmegen-East, are common. Law student Mark Mulder has heard that there were about three break-ins during the summer holidays. “I don’t know if this is above or below average for a student complex of this size. It’s certainly a hot item among the residents.”

‘I always take my phone when I go out, so that I can ring straight away if anything happens.’

Mulder still feels safe in and around Mariënbosch, but he did decide to call the community police officer to ask whether there was any news about the number of burglaries. “Someone is setting up a WhatsApp group as a sort of neighbourhood watch scheme.” Mulder thinks it’s a good idea, but would also advise students to lock their doors and windows.

Unfamiliar face
Student Fleur, who doesn’t want to disclose her surname, doesn’t feel as safe as she used to. “I’m always double-checking whether I’ve locked the door and I take my phone when I go out, so that I can ring straight away if anything happens.” Fleur lives on the fourth floor. “It’s the people on the ground floor who have the highest risk of being burgled, but an unfamiliar face was recently spotted on other corridors too.”

This incident was reported to SSH&. “Apart from that, we know nothing about these incidents,” says manager Vincent Buitenhuis. “I really couldn’t say whether the number of burglaries here is above average.” Official police reports relating to burglaries are not passed to SSH& as a matter of course.

Buitenhuis is organising a special evening for residents, which is planned for next week. “We want to get to the bottom of this.” The community police officer was on holiday and not available for comment.