Maybe it was the increased patrols in Oakland or maybe it was just luck, but police officers… Maybe it was the increased patrols in Oakland or maybe it was just luck, but police officers arrested a man on Saturday evening and charged him with 36 counts of burglary, according to an article in yesterday’s edition of The Pitt News.

Russell Jackson, 53, of Oakland was spotted burglarizing an address on the 100 block of North Craig Street. Police apprehended him on the 200 block of Melwood with a laptop in one hand and blood in the other.

While the news of Jackson’s arrest is pleasing to many Oakland residents, it’s still unclear which of the recent burglaries he is actually responsible for. Jackson has a history of committing burglaries targeting students, according to a Post-Gazette article.

A “career burglar” convicted 18 previous times, Jackson stole laptops, cameras, money and other electronics from the apartments of college students in the area. The police said that Jackson acted mostly during the day, a prime time for students to be away from their apartments and in the classroom. Jackson was recently released from jail after serving time for another round of burglaries in the area, also targeting college students.

There’s no indication, however, that Jackson was involved in any of the numerous armed robberies affecting Pitt students in the past few weeks.

With armed robbers still on the loose, it’s no time for students to relax or police to reduce their efforts in Oakland. Burglaries are only part of a larger crime problem in the area.

This one arrest should not create a false sense of safety in people living off campus. It’s important for students to continue making sure their houses and apartments are secure by being smart about locking windows and doors.

It’s also important to travel in groups when possible and to utilize the University’s shuttle system, including SafeRider. Be smart about the routes you travel and use busier streets and well-lit areas, and don’t be afraid to pick up your phone and report suspicious activity. After all, that’s how the police were tipped off about Jackson.

Although it’s unnerving that a man with prior convictions, fresh out of jail, was living in Oakland, we’re glad that police efforts have paid off, and we hope this is just the beginning of cleaning up crime in Oakland.

Hopefully students won’t take this occasion to discard measures that will ensure future safety.