Seven burglaries sweep Woodland Hall parking lot
Rosie Githinji
Issue date: 2/2/10 Section: News
There are reports of car break-ins each semester on campus. The Woodland Hall parking lot was the target area for seven cars, which were broken into from Jan.14 through Jan. 22.
Freshman nursing major Nicholas Weber of Teutopolis noticed his car had been broken into and his car stereo and air conditioner had been taken.
"I wouldn't have noticed for a while since I don't use my car often," Weber said.
Weber had gone to eat with some friends and parked in the lot around midnight, but did not know his car had been broken into until around 5 p.m. the next day.
"When I talked to the police department they said one of the easiest cars to break into were GMs because the locks are easy to break into," Weber said.
Weber's doors were locked, but he had just gotten a new stereo for Christmas and that is why he thinks his car was robbed. So far, he has not been told there are any suspects.
He said he would be keeping his car on campus instead of taking it home.
"I see policemen out there everyday," Weber said. "I think it's because it was so foggy, and they could not see much that night."
Freshman nursing major Sami Baxter of Plainfield said she made sure her car was not an easy target by putting everything in the trunk and making her car look empty.
"I was actually pretty nervous," Baxter said. "It kind of concerned me because my car got broken into in high school."
She said she sees a police presence in the parking lot, but still does not go out to her car late at night without an officer present. Woodland Hall also sends e-mails at least once a week to residents letting them know what is going on and includes safety tips, according to Baxter.
Freshman mechanical engineering major Brandi Jones of Granite City has a vehicle in the Woodland Hall lot.
"I knew break-ins happened, but I didn't hear much about it," Jones said. "I don't really feel unsafe, although my vehicle is usually there only at night when I'm sleeping."
Freshman psychology major A.J. Smith of Chicago said having his car on campus is not worth the worry and trouble.
"I left my car at home because it is not even worth bringing it down anymore," Smith said. "If somebody is going to punch the locks then we can't do anything about it."
He said he sees a good police presence in the parking lot, especially late at night.
"It kind of surprised me there were break-ins," Smith said.
Housing director Mike Schultz said that when the break-ins happen it is something that happens on the campus as well as in the community. He also said anything that happens outside of the residential buildings is something the police department deals with.
"If it was something that was inside the buildings then we would have more of an active role," Schultz said.
Anyone who has information on the break-ins or sees suspicious activity should contact the police department at 650-3324.
Freshman nursing major Nicholas Weber of Teutopolis noticed his car had been broken into and his car stereo and air conditioner had been taken.
"I wouldn't have noticed for a while since I don't use my car often," Weber said.
Weber had gone to eat with some friends and parked in the lot around midnight, but did not know his car had been broken into until around 5 p.m. the next day.
"When I talked to the police department they said one of the easiest cars to break into were GMs because the locks are easy to break into," Weber said.
Weber's doors were locked, but he had just gotten a new stereo for Christmas and that is why he thinks his car was robbed. So far, he has not been told there are any suspects.
He said he would be keeping his car on campus instead of taking it home.
"I see policemen out there everyday," Weber said. "I think it's because it was so foggy, and they could not see much that night."
Freshman nursing major Sami Baxter of Plainfield said she made sure her car was not an easy target by putting everything in the trunk and making her car look empty.
"I was actually pretty nervous," Baxter said. "It kind of concerned me because my car got broken into in high school."
She said she sees a police presence in the parking lot, but still does not go out to her car late at night without an officer present. Woodland Hall also sends e-mails at least once a week to residents letting them know what is going on and includes safety tips, according to Baxter.
Freshman mechanical engineering major Brandi Jones of Granite City has a vehicle in the Woodland Hall lot.
"I knew break-ins happened, but I didn't hear much about it," Jones said. "I don't really feel unsafe, although my vehicle is usually there only at night when I'm sleeping."
Freshman psychology major A.J. Smith of Chicago said having his car on campus is not worth the worry and trouble.
"I left my car at home because it is not even worth bringing it down anymore," Smith said. "If somebody is going to punch the locks then we can't do anything about it."
He said he sees a good police presence in the parking lot, especially late at night.
"It kind of surprised me there were break-ins," Smith said.
Housing director Mike Schultz said that when the break-ins happen it is something that happens on the campus as well as in the community. He also said anything that happens outside of the residential buildings is something the police department deals with.
"If it was something that was inside the buildings then we would have more of an active role," Schultz said.
Anyone who has information on the break-ins or sees suspicious activity should contact the police department at 650-3324.
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