There have been 20 grand theft auto burglaries at Cal State Long Beach this year, excluding a car that was reported stolen over the weekend, according to Police Captain Fernando Solorzano.
Looking at sheer numbers in comparison to last year, the number of car thefts is not excessively high, police said. In 2008, there were 31 cars stolen and 25 of them were recovered. In 2009, there have been 21 stolen and 14 recovered.
There are still about three months left in the year and Solorzano feels the number will not exceed the 31 cars stolen in 2008.
These statistics do not include the cars that have been stolen from students in the surrounding area. The primary jurisdiction for the campus police is the CSULB grounds and a one-mile radius around campus.
Solorzano recommends that students invest in an anti-theft vehicle device.
“Make it as difficult as possible [for thieves] and use more than one [device] — The Club and even a flashing red light deters,” he said.
According to the police activity log on the University Police Web page, there was a spike in vehicle theft on campus during the last weeks of September and the first weeks of October. Two vehicles were stolen from campus Sept. 21 and Oct. 1, while another was stolen Oct. 9. This accounts for a total of five cars stolen within three weeks, making an average of almost two cars a week.
Several students such as senior anthropology major Steven Mastro are concerned with the rise in auto thefts on campus.
“My car was stolen from Bellflower and PCH in front of my girlfriend’s apartment at Stoneybrook Villas,” he said. “I left around noon and returned around 5:30. It was gone. My car was the second one stolen that day.”
While talking to the police, Mastro was approached by another student from Stoneybrook who said her boyfriend’s car was also stolen from the same spot not too long ago.
After Mastro posted his experience on Facebook, other CSULB students responded with hits claiming their cars had been recently stolen or they knew of other students whose cars had been stolen.
Campus police have equipped the campus with cameras they believe help deter crime on campus. Operators monitor the screens for suspicious activity and have the ability to zoom in and rotate cameras to see all directions a suspect may flee to.
If a thief is in a blind spot and there are no witnesses to call in and direct operators where to shoot, they would get away without ever being caught on tape.
According to Solorzano, “The cameras are [still] a huge deterrent. And during times we have checked footage we have been able to locate suspicious vehicles [or people].” This can help investigators focus in on getting a lead on a suspect.
So far, the police do not have a suspect for the vehicle thefts occurring on campus.
In the case of Mastro, an apartment manager in Huntington Beach called to have a car towed that was illegally parked in a tenant’s space. The car belonged to Mastro. There was no suspect but his car was recovered by default.
It was then turned over to the Huntington Beach Police Department and held for impound. Mastro had to pay $200 out of pocket to get his car back.
“Nothing from my actual car was missing but my items had been completely cleaned out,” Mastro said. “All that was left were cigarette ashes, Baskin Robbins napkins, a coffee cup and a pair of [prescription] glasses.”
Mastro said there were also more than 100 miles put on the car. There was no damage to the vehicle.
Although the car was recovered, it has changed the way Mastro feels. “This isn’t my car,” he said. “This was my first car; I’ve had it five years. I was attached to it. Now to have it come back feels worse because I don’t want it anymore.”