The Jambar

For Youngstown State University student Amber Patrick, having your car stolen and vandalized an astonishing three times might leave you with mixed emotions about YSU's parking safety and where you should or should not park.

During the first incident in Feb. 2007, Patrick was walking to her car in the Wick-Pollock lot with a friend when she discovered her car was nowhere to be found. Her friend asked if she was sure she had parked there, further angering Patrick. The Cutlass Ciera was later recovered on the south side of Youngstown with its steering column stripped and outer door locks popped off.

The second incident, also at Wick-Pollock, occurred last May. While her car was not stolen, her steering column was again stripped and the rear driver's side window was busted out.

The third incident, this time in Buechner Hall's parking lot R-3, happened a mere two days before the start of the fall semester and her car incurred the same damage as before.

All three times, Amber had to call her father to inform him of the damage, which she dreaded doing as she knew he would be upset.

Patrick said she was upset campus police didn't do more to assist her in the investigations.

After the first incident, Patrick asked campus police to run fingerprints left on her car, to which they responded, “You watch too much Law and Order.”

After the second time, Patrick was able to convince campus police to work with Youngstown Police Department in running fingerprints on her car. By the third time, the Youngstown Police Department failed to do a follow up on the fingerprint check.

Patrick even said campus police proposed that she just have her parents buy her a new car.

“We as students don't know where it's safe to park,” said Patrick.

Despite campus police and Youngstown Police Department's unhelpfulness, Patrick has tried reaching out to student government on having video cameras installed in all parking lots.

She plans on speaking to administration as well.

Sgt. Remias, YSU's crime prevention officer, explained that it is hard to predict car theft crimes. However, when such crimes occur, the department usually steps up patrol in the area the crime occurred.

Patrick said in order to prevent crimes, such as car theft, from happening on campus, it is better to park in lots and decks with card access as well as parking areas that utilize cameras.

Remais said that he is 100 percent for cameras in parking areas and believes they are a good deterrent. They also serve as a means of identifying the vandal when investigating the whereabouts of a stolen car or personal items. Remais also said that while he does support the installation of cameras, they are a costly investment. Video camera installation is in the hands of parking services.

Patrick said she believes the car theft incidents were entirely random and has no idea who is responsible. Since these unfortunate situations, Patrick said she no longer parks in the areas that the crimes occurred and overall tries to be more cautious around campus. She is even encouraging some of her friends and classmates to take self-defense classes.

Remias said car thefts usually happen to cars that are easy to steal like Cutlass Cieras. In addition to their easy factor, cars can also be stolen because the vandal is looking for a ride and often take the car's desirable catalytic converter.

Although thefts in general are the most common crimes on campus, Remais said that repeat crimes against the same person, as in Patrick's case, are rare. Remais urged students to lock their car doors and not leave valuables in them to prevent any problems.

Patrick said her primary concern is the safety of the girls in her dorm and the campus police's apathy for cases such as these.

Article Tools