by Deanna Reyes
Staff Writer
Recent break-ins to vehicles on the University of La Verne campus over the last two weeks have been reported to Campus Safety and prompted the release of a warning to the ULV community.
According to John Lentz, director of Campus Safety and Transportation, three cars have been reportedly broken into and Campus Safety suspects one more has as well after the discovery of broken glass and debris in one of the parking lots. The break-ins have occurred in the B Street parking lot, the First Street lot next to the baseball field and the Mainiero lot.
Lentz said the people breaking into cars are not targeting any specific type of vehicle. He said one of the cars was eye catching with a nice paint job, but that the other two were just average vehicles. Two of the break-ins happened during broad daylight while one occurred at night.
“There is no pattern [of break-ins],” said Lentz. “It’s a crime of opportunity.”
Lentz said that a ULV employee saw two men in the B Street lot, but did not have access to a telephone to call Campus Safety. By the time Campus Safety was reached, the theft had already occurred.
Lentz said the suspected thieves are entering cars through either prying the window open and unlocking the car door, or simply smashing the window in. They are stealing personal property, such as car stereos, CDs and backpacks.
According to Det. Monica Schusse of the La Verne Police Department, a police investigation is underway, although no leads have been uncovered.
Lentz suggests that students become aware of these break-ins and realize that crime can occur in La Verne.
“I think we’ve been lulled into a false sense of reality that nothing can occur here, but it can,” said Lentz.
If students witness a break-in or see suspicious people hanging around the parking lots, Lentz wants students to report it so Campus Safety can investigate in order to prevent this from happening again.
He also suggests writing down any identifiable information of suspect persons or vehicles in the parking lots. During the past two weeks, LVPD and Campus Safety have patrolled the parking lots more frequently, and plan to continue that.
