I had to steal a Raekwon quote in honor of the finally released “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Pt. II.”

There has been quite a bit of robbery-talk going on these days, from campus e-mails to news reports.

This was after a string of on- and off-campus armed robberies perpetrated by three men, two of whom have since been apprehended by police. I’m sure you have heard about it.

Since I have lived in Kent, I have had two iPods and a bicycle stolen right out of my house.

A couple weeks ago at a party that was thrown near my apartment, some person walked into my living room and must have sprung a chubby looking at the table on which I had my computer, CD book with at least 100 CDs, speakers, Bose headphones and an iPod Touch.

I like my music.

I’m lucky I only lost what I did.

That night we kept getting people who were partying in the front yard coming in looking for a place to take a leak, and on one such occasion (as I assume was the case) neither I nor my roommates were inside. We obviously had not gone far because the front door was unlocked. I was probably in the front yard.

I figured I could spot anyone who tried to go inside, and I was not really expecting any problems.

But I did not know anyone in my front yard. I did not invite them, and while I did not mind their being there, I did not want them walking around my apartment.

I guess I should have been watching. I guess I should have locked the damn door. But I wasn’t worried. Nobody there looked like they were around to steal my stuff.

Looks aren’t everything, though, especially when the Thursday-best polo shirts serve as camouflage for the intermixed thieves who snatch what they can at parties they were probably never invited to.

Why do we trust who we trust? ?And on what basis do we deem people “trustable”?

I was in the basement of the student center one time and a girl unpacked and sat down next to me near the fireplace. She said she had to run upstairs for one thing or another and asked me if I would be so kind as to watch her things.

I simply nodded and offered an affirmative grunt before replacing the ear bud I had removed. After she walked away I scanned over what exactly she had left me in charge of.

On the chair next to me was a purse, laptop computer, a full backpack and a coat.

I would have never taken any of this woman’s things, but I could not help but realize the ease with which I could have done it if I wanted. I watched her walk away almost in shock.

She did not even turn back to watch me watching her things. She was gone for six or seven minutes.

She returned and thanked me and went about her business. She seemed to have no inclination to suspect I would not be there when she returned.

I do not think anything about me makes me seem, at first glance, to be someone you leave in charge of all of your on-campus necessities.

I guess I cannot say that anyone looks one way or another.

There is no accurate stereotype for a thief, just as I suppose there is no accurate stereotype for a trustworthy person. And it’s why I don’t have an iPod or a bike, because the people around did not give me cause for alarm.

Call it a crime of opportunity. Call it me being irresponsible with my stuff. I call it bullshit. There’s no reason why anyone should disrespect others and what belongs to them.

But karma can be a bitch.

So when I finally read an article about a quashed robbery that results in the assailant having three holes blown through his chest, I will not feel too bad about shrugging my shoulders, sipping my coffee and finding the crossword puzzle.

Nick Baker is a senior magazine journalism major and columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected].