Students at UNC-Charlotte have to pay to park their cars on campus, yet campus police don't seem able to prevent the rash of car break-ins plaguing the campus. | PxHere.com
Students at UNC-Charlotte have to pay to park their cars on campus, yet campus police don't seem able to prevent the rash of car break-ins plaguing the campus. | PxHere.com
A rash of car break-ins at University of North Carolina Charlotte parking areas, which ruined plans for some students heading home for Easter weekend, is sparking calls for more on-campus security.
Between Thursday and Sunday of last week, campus police received more than 30 reports of autos being damaged, often by having a window smashed.
“I walked out to my car and I noticed the window was completely broken,” student Nadia Schiesl told WBTV. “I was thinking about the repair cost and the fact that I couldn’t go home for Easter.”
The vandals didn’t steal much of value from her car — only a hammer-like device her mother had given her to use in getting out of the car in an emergency — but it kept her from traveling for the holiday.
"It’s pretty frustrating because I know me and a lot of other people are working part-time jobs, paying our own tuition, and the fact that this is another expense added on top of that is really difficult,” Schiesl told WBTV.
Students pay almost $500 annually for on-campus parking privileges, and some don’t think they’re getting enough protection for the money.
Sophomore Cameron Lewis said his vehicle was one of 28 reported as being broken into in December.
“It feels really unsafe because it’s so close to dorms,” he told WBTV. “There’s a complete breakdown of safety protocols.”
The university says night-shift officers are directed to check parking lots and decks at least once an hour, unless an emergency call comes in. The school is also planning to add security cameras in strategic locations, including parking areas.
While the university has erected a police tower in Lot 8, students are calling for the school to install surveillance cameras in every lot and on every level of parking decks. Lewis also said in the report that students would like to see better communication, such as campus-wide alerts when break-ins happen.
Until students notice an increase in security measures or a decrease in such vandalism, Schiesl said she’s uncomfortable with parking on campus anymore.
“I kind of want to bring my car home and not park here anymore,” she told WBTV.
The university also said the problem isn’t confined to campus. A spokesperson said that the school is partnering with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, who are checking into similar break-ins in the University City area.
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