Duquesne University cautions students to be on alert amid a string of car break-ins in two garages
Duquesne University is asking its students to be on alert after a recent wave of car break-ins on campus in the Locust and Forbes garages.
Some of those break-ins have resulted in some students having hundreds of dollars worth of items stolen, and now the university said they've identified some persons of interest as well as increased officers and security guards patrolling the garages.
It takes less than 30 seconds for a thief to get into your car and steal your personal items, which has been the case on campus. For students, the garages are more than just a place to park, they're essential for getting to class, having visitors, and storing their vehicles.
"I'm pretty concerned, I park there overnight, I live just down the street, and trying to find parking downtown is pretty difficult," said Andreas Vukas, a student. "I keep valuable stuff in my car and parking, that's also a concern. Somebody breaking into my car and stealing things is a huge concern of mine."
"It is a little concerning to me, but I mean, I'm not surprised, it's a city," said Hannah Schomer. "They always advertise we're very safe and have patrols all the time but it is a little concerning knowing that's going on."
Many of the cars that were broken into were unlocked and now the university is reminding students that it's a crime of opportunity and thieves always look for the easiest target with the least resistance.
They also said that the most common items that the thieves are looking for are bookbags, money, electronics, jewelry, mail, and GPS systems.
"Most of the time I park toward the roof, so half the time, if they want to get up there, they have to walk all the way up," said Brennan Moore. "It's a hard walk, but other than that, I feel pretty safe where I park."
In order to prevent break-ins, campus police recommend students put items in the trunk, never leave valuables in plain sight, close windows, lock the doors, and set their car alarm.
