Student’s car broken into near Garden Apartments

A student’s car was found broken into on Mar. 6 in the campus parking lot behind Greek row near the apartments.
Kaitlyn Schmitt was on her way to a boot camp workout class with friends when she realized her car was in a state of disarray and the passenger door propped open.
“I went to unlock the back doors for my other friend to get in and there was stuff thrown in the backseat, stuff literally thrown all over my car, and its stuff that I would have never gone through in my glove compartment like my registration and manual,” said Schmitt.
Mercer police were contacted and arrived on the scene within 15 minutes, and while waiting for the police Schmitt contacted her parents and took photos of the damage.
Items that were missing from the car included a pair of aviator sunglasses and a valuable white gold necklace that was given as a gift from Schmitt’s boyfriend.
The hubcaps on the right side of the care and the console on the inside of the car were missing along with scratches and dents on the passenger side of the car
The investigating officer questioned Schmitt about any friends or enemies who may have done this.
This is the third car break-in on campus, leaving students feeling uneasy about the safety of their vehicles. Police stated that there was no sign of forced entry into the vehicle.
There is one security camera located in the parking lot where the break-in occurred, and it rotates to scan the whole parking lot.
Schmitt said the police officer told her, “There is a pretty good chance that the security camera did not pick up the suspect because it rotates.”
“I think the chances are slim to none that they will find out who did this, which is an unsettling feeling. I have finished my undergraduate degree here; I’m in grad school now and have been here for four years. I have never felt unsafe before on Mercer’s campus, said Schmitt.
Chief of Mercer Police, Gary Collins offers tips on keeping vehicles and the contents inside safe.
“Please keep your doors locked. We cannot tell if a car does not belong to someone if they walk up to it and just pull on the handle. Do not keep valuables in your car like jewelry, electronics, and CDs. It’s a crime of opportunity if no one is around and they think they can get away with it,” said Chief Collins.
Other tips include taking the off the stereo faceplate if applicable, storing the spare key in a location other than the vehicle, and reporting suspicious looking people or activities to the Mercer police.
Chief Collins also stated, “We do a safety walk each semester with volunteers and members of SGA and we look at all the lighting and safety issues. Over all we have good lighting, and we patrol the parking lots and campus regularly. Unfortunately we prove that with all of the tickets we write. ”