Seven cars have been broken into and burglarized in Ventura College parking lots throughout the first month of this spring semester, while reported crime at both Oxnard and Moorpark campuses has been minimal.
Criminal activity, specifically theft from vehicles, has been occurring frequently at Ventura College. Throughout January, thieves broke into locked cars parked at Ventura College. Most of the vehicles were entered by unknown means, and robbed of valuables and trinkets alike, police said.
Some of the break-ins and thefts are crimes of opportunity, said Lt. Kegley, who supervises the Moorpark College campus police.
“Don’t ever leave anything of value visible inside your car,” Kegley advises students.
In comparison, Oxnard’s first month of spring semester brought graffiti, an amusingly disruptive woman, and a stolen but quickly recovered vehicle. Moorpark students had even better luck, as the only criminal activity reported involved two students caught smoking marijuana in their car. However, crime is not always noticed by or reported the campus police, said Moorpark student Katie Sherman.
“On my first day of class this semester, within two hours my car was keyed completely around” said Sherman, a 21-year-old Criminal Justice major and a freshman at Moorpark. Sherman did not report the incident to police because she felt that there was nothing that could be done to fix the damage, and she assumed that the offender would never be caught.
Jan. 7, VC: Two locked vehicles were entered, and a third vehicle’s handle was pried off, allowing entrance. Stolen items included CD’s, a purse containing credit cards and personal information, a cell phone, a camera, binoculars, gift cards, and other small valuables.
Jan. 13, VC: Campus police confiscated an air-soft pistol from a Ventura College student. Police investigated two more incidents of “suspicious characters” loitering in parking lots and in front of the Children’s Center.
Jan. 17, OC: An employee’s pickup truck was stolen from the automotive department.
Jan. 18, OC: The stolen pickup truck was recovered by police and returned to the registered owner.
Jan. 19, VC: An Ipod and wallet were reported stolen from a locked vehicle.
Jan. 21, VC: An unlocked vehicle was entered and a wallet was reported stolen.
Jan. 25, VC: An unlocked vehicle was entered and CD’s and clothing were reported stolen.
Advice for Students
Keeping in tune with automotive safety, Kegley implores students to respect traffic rules on and around campus. “In coming to school and leaving from school, please drive slowly and defensively.” The number of accidents and traffic violations around VCCCD campuses has been minimal so far, which Kegley attributes in part to the speed bumps which were recently built around parking lots.
Another way that students can improve conditions on campus is simply by disposing of trash properly. The amount of garbage dumped out of cars and onto the student parking lots has been increasingly high. Kegley reminds offenders that not only is littering punishable by hefty fines, but it lowers the quality of all students’ educational environment.
Campus Police offices are located on all three campuses, and further contact information and crime updates can be accessed on the VCCCD Police Department website at http://www.vcccd.net/police/index.htm.
