Chanco students targeted by thieves

Students of Chancellor College in Zomba now have security of their computers to worry about besides the unpredictable academic grades, due to a rise in computer theft at the college.

The knowledge seekers – both residential and non-residential – are day in, day out getting robbed of their valuable assets.

If it is not in Chikanda community, a base for most non-residential students then it is at the hostels, where ownership of at least a personal computer is forcedly transferred to a thief every week.

However, non-residential students are the main victims due to shaky security within their localities.

Others have had their laptops stolen while in class or while sleep. Reports show that many students have lost their laptops this semester, raising fears about an increase in the cases of theft.

“Strange things have happened this semester and I fear for the worst in the next semester. Probably 50 laptops have been stolen this semester, may God help us,” said one student who opted for anonymity.

In Chikanda alone, the sun does not retire without hearing news about someone losing a laptop.

This has forced students to cling to their computers as if they were babies; wherever they go, laptop bags are always on their backs even where they will not use the gadgets.

According to our source at the institution, the unusual happened at the women’s hostels two weeks ago as a man who was thought to be a student got away with more than four laptops. He managed to beat the security with his tricks.

Students managed to catch one suspected thief last month, who was later left half dead, for attempting to steal from one of the girls hostels. In Chikanda, thieves have during many occasions managed to slip through fingers of angry students.

Thieves are considered to be guided by the misconception that University students are rich. But some victims are from poor backgrounds and acquired laptops just by grace.

With the loss, their academic stuff are gone and this puts their performance in jeopardy.