Students will now be required to leave their bags with cashiers when shopping at the College Creek Marketplace. This new rule is administered by Humboldt State University’s dining services.
Ron Rudebock, dining services director, said theft has become a bigger issue this semester than the last.
“It’s why this new system is being put into place,” Rudebock said. “We need to take the precaution to prevent more theft from happening.”
The way the system works is customers will leave their bags in a rack supervised by an employee and receive a pin with a number.
Once they’re done shopping, customers return to the rack where they left their bag, give the pin back to a supervising employee and receive their belongings.
Rudebock expresses that he didn’t want to use this system, but is required to avoid an increase of the price of items sold in the marketplace.
“We’ve already had people calling to say that they think it’ll be inconvenient for everyone involved,” Rudebock said. “But for us to not increase the price of items in the marketplace, we need to use this system.”
Selena Ponce is a College Creek Marketplace employee.
“There is some frustration at first when we ask for [a customer’s] bag,” Ponce said. “When we explain that theft is the reason for the new rule, people are willing to leave their bags with us.”
Rudebock said dining services will consider implementing a similar bag rule in The Depot and The J if theft becomes more common in those locations.
“It was much easier to just go in, get what you need and get out,” HSU student Natalie Carbarl said. “It’s kinda dumb, but I understand why [the Marketplace] need to enforce this rule.”
“People who are stealing from the Marketplace are hurting the school more than they actually think,” Rudebock said.