Police contend with is larceny.
In the majority of cases, larceny is a crime of opportunity. Often times, the property stolen was left unlocked in an unattended room. Campus buildings are never really closed because of the ongoing research that involves many members of the community around the clock. In addition, there are many evening classes, cultural programs and other extracurricular activities that are often open to the public. This aspect combined with the fact that MIT is an urban campus indicates how the hallways sometimes seem more like street extensions than university corridors.