Vandalism and Hit and Runs on Campus
Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: Features
By Samantha Payne
Rotunda Reporter
Since the moment a teenager lays their eyes on their first vehicle, a sense of protectiveness usually comes over them. So what happens when they come to college and become a victim of vandalism or a hit and run? Longwood University's Police Department and Parking Services have tried to develop an efficient parking system on campus, to try and avoid as many vehicular conflicts as possible. However, when an act of vandalism or a hit and run occur, there are certain steps the Police Department recommends for a student to follow. Whether or not the student chooses to follow those steps, is up to them.
Chief of Police Bob Beach said a student who is victimized should immediately call the Police Department at 2091. "The key is to report it. Be a good observer and write down what you see, so that you can accurately and adequately report what's happened," said Beach. Investigator John Thompson advised students not to move their vehicle. "Once you find that there is something that has been done to your vehicle, don't move it. Leave it sitting where it is, because the car beside you might have done it. Call the police, and we'll come up and take pictures. We might be able to determine that a car next to you has done it. But students won't do this sometimes. They'll go home and then come back and report it," said Thompson.
One student who did just that was senior Paul Eldert. He had left his car parked in the Venable Parking Lot on a Saturday night. When he came back to his vehicle the next day, he noticed a dent in the passenger side of the vehicle. "After muttering a few obscenities, upon inspection I noticed white paint in the dent, and that the vehicle smashed out my turn light as well. Because it wasn't until late in the afternoon when I saw the damage done to my car, I didn't go to campus police that night. I waited until first thing Monday morning to file a report with campus police," said Eldert.
Rotunda Reporter
Since the moment a teenager lays their eyes on their first vehicle, a sense of protectiveness usually comes over them. So what happens when they come to college and become a victim of vandalism or a hit and run? Longwood University's Police Department and Parking Services have tried to develop an efficient parking system on campus, to try and avoid as many vehicular conflicts as possible. However, when an act of vandalism or a hit and run occur, there are certain steps the Police Department recommends for a student to follow. Whether or not the student chooses to follow those steps, is up to them.
Chief of Police Bob Beach said a student who is victimized should immediately call the Police Department at 2091. "The key is to report it. Be a good observer and write down what you see, so that you can accurately and adequately report what's happened," said Beach. Investigator John Thompson advised students not to move their vehicle. "Once you find that there is something that has been done to your vehicle, don't move it. Leave it sitting where it is, because the car beside you might have done it. Call the police, and we'll come up and take pictures. We might be able to determine that a car next to you has done it. But students won't do this sometimes. They'll go home and then come back and report it," said Thompson.
One student who did just that was senior Paul Eldert. He had left his car parked in the Venable Parking Lot on a Saturday night. When he came back to his vehicle the next day, he noticed a dent in the passenger side of the vehicle. "After muttering a few obscenities, upon inspection I noticed white paint in the dent, and that the vehicle smashed out my turn light as well. Because it wasn't until late in the afternoon when I saw the damage done to my car, I didn't go to campus police that night. I waited until first thing Monday morning to file a report with campus police," said Eldert.
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