From a simple crime burglary to a potential physical threat, violent crimes is not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about EC.

The on campus environment influences students to be concerned with other priorities such as texting, friends, classes and a myriad of other daily concerns that can lead to being distracted from the campus surroundings.

A distraction from a possible crime or a safety warning could be avoided if the student could be aware of their surroundings.

With the recent armed robbery that occurred in Parking Lot D, it is crucial that students pay attention to their surroundings.

A male student walking to his car shortly after dark was approached by four males in a white sedan who brandished what appeared to be a real gun.

Police later arrested the suspects and the weapon was discovered to be a BB gun, but this fact does not detract from the seriousness of the crime.

The threat of violent crime is an issue for both male and female students.

According to a 2010 crime victimization survey by the Department of Justice, men and women were estimated to have a nearly equal chance of being subjected to a violent crime.

A full list of personal safety tips can be found at elcamino.edu in the Campus Police section. Here are few to get started with.

Always be aware of ones surroundings.

Being alert also includes being able to see and hear so one may want to rethink having that iPod blaring at full volume with both ear buds in.

Be wary of taking short cuts across campus or to parking lots.It might get you there faster but it could also take you away from populated areas and make you a more vulnerable target.

If students are going to theirvehicle, have the keys out so that one won’t have to spend time searching for them once they get there.

The campus police also offers an escort shuttle service from 6-10:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday.

To request the service, call the police department at 310-660-3100.

The blue emergency police phones located outdoors on campus or the red phones inside buildings are always available and may be used to schedule a pick up.

A final safety note is to travel in groups.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department website, oneshould not resist during a robbery. Instead, pay attention to what the robber looks like and any other useful information that could help police find the suspect.

Although this robbery should encourage students to be on their guard, the news is not all gloomy.

According to the Torrance Police Department’s crime statistics, violent crime in the city dropped 40 percent from 2010 to 2011 so let’s hope the trend continues.

In the meantime stay alert and look out for each other.