Sioux Falls, South Dakota – Car break-ins are becoming more common on college campuses, even during the summer.
“Car break-ins are typically considered crimes of opportunity. Sometimes people leave their vehicles unlocked. Individuals who pass through our campus occasionally seek to cause damage and steal items in plain sight of vehicles. So it’s our responsibility to try to deter that by educating our campus community and conducting patrols at all times of day,” said Officer Chad Campbell.
According to Augustana’s Director of Campus Safety, Rick Tupper, unlocked car doors are typically the first thing burglars look for. However, if you leave something valuable in plain sight and the vehicle is locked, he claims they may break your window out.
“We try to explain to students that if they see a $10 item in your back seat, they may mistake it for something valuable and break your $400 window to steal it. So it’s best to keep things hidden. Do not leave anything in plain sight. Lock your car. “Make sure it’s secure and there’s nothing visible from the outside,” Tupper said.
Augustana’s campus safety patrols 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with multiple officers working each shift.
“If we receive a phone call from one of our students, we usually respond within minutes because we’re usually out on patrol within the field, and we’re either in a golf cart or in our patrol vehicles, and we usually respond very, very quickly,” Campbell told me.
Once campus safety determines that a crime has occurred, they contact the Sioux Falls Police Department.
Tupper stated that three car break-ins occurred on campus this week alone, which is unusual for the summer.
“I believe it is unusual to have these during the summer months because our parking lots are almost always empty. But, unfortunately, crime continues. So, even in the summer months, we strongly encourage people to be proactive. “Protect what you have,” stated Tupper.
