Vandalism and Hit and Runs on Campus
Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: Features
When he went to file a report to the campus police, they came to the scene of the crime and took pictures of his vehicle. Eighteen months have passed, and Eldert still has no idea who hit his car. "Unless they post cameras around the parking lots, they are not going to find out who did any vandalism. Hit and runs in parking lots is basically an honor code. If someone hits you, you have to hope that either that person or a witness saw it and would leave you a note on the information of the other vehicle. Bad drivers are bad drivers. For my sake, I hope the other person had a nicer car than me and it shows up just as noticeable," said Eldert.
Another student who chose not to report her hit and run experience, was junior Katie McWilliam. McWilliam was parked in the parallel parking spots between the Arc and Stubbs dormitories. When she came back to her car, it was dark outside and she did not notice any damage to her vehicle. The next morning when she approached her car, she noticed a big dent on the top of her hood. Her "H" symbol on her Honda had also been knocked off. "My parents told me I should go to the police to file a report, but I did not do it because I was only interested in getting my car fixed. I did not know if filing a report would do anything. If I could go back in time, I would probably report it. I guess the more that people report these hit and runs, the bigger the pile of car accident reports there will be, and maybe that would do something," said McWilliam.
Junior Kristen Gaines also chose not to report a hit and run. "I drove to school and parked in the Cox lot the first day back from winter break. When class was over I walked to Cox, got in the car and drove home. When I got there, I realized I had been hit. I had a huge scuff mark, plus some scratches that took off my paint on the back left hand side of my car. I was so frustrated because nobody left a note. It was a brand new car I only had for a couple weeks with no scratches on it," said Gaines. Gaines decided not to report the incident because she had already moved her car from the lot, and because she did not think the police would be able to track down who hit her.
In regards to vandalism, Investigator Thompson believes students should not give a perpetrator the opportunity to vandalize a vehicle. "When you park your car, make sure your vehicle is locked up. Never leave things out in the open. Put them in the trunk and hide them. If they don't see them, then it doesn't give the person the opportunity to try to get them," said Thompson. Even if a person chooses to report their hit and run or vandalism incident, they might not find out who committed the crime. However, the Police Department believes that it is always better to report it, in order to have a better chance of finding the person who committed the crime.
Another student who chose not to report her hit and run experience, was junior Katie McWilliam. McWilliam was parked in the parallel parking spots between the Arc and Stubbs dormitories. When she came back to her car, it was dark outside and she did not notice any damage to her vehicle. The next morning when she approached her car, she noticed a big dent on the top of her hood. Her "H" symbol on her Honda had also been knocked off. "My parents told me I should go to the police to file a report, but I did not do it because I was only interested in getting my car fixed. I did not know if filing a report would do anything. If I could go back in time, I would probably report it. I guess the more that people report these hit and runs, the bigger the pile of car accident reports there will be, and maybe that would do something," said McWilliam.
Junior Kristen Gaines also chose not to report a hit and run. "I drove to school and parked in the Cox lot the first day back from winter break. When class was over I walked to Cox, got in the car and drove home. When I got there, I realized I had been hit. I had a huge scuff mark, plus some scratches that took off my paint on the back left hand side of my car. I was so frustrated because nobody left a note. It was a brand new car I only had for a couple weeks with no scratches on it," said Gaines. Gaines decided not to report the incident because she had already moved her car from the lot, and because she did not think the police would be able to track down who hit her.
In regards to vandalism, Investigator Thompson believes students should not give a perpetrator the opportunity to vandalize a vehicle. "When you park your car, make sure your vehicle is locked up. Never leave things out in the open. Put them in the trunk and hide them. If they don't see them, then it doesn't give the person the opportunity to try to get them," said Thompson. Even if a person chooses to report their hit and run or vandalism incident, they might not find out who committed the crime. However, the Police Department believes that it is always better to report it, in order to have a better chance of finding the person who committed the crime.
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