Police combat auto break-ins
TCU reports 70 car burglaries this semester
By Becky Brandenburg
Staff Reporter

Students learned that caution and awareness are the best ways to combat a recent rash of car break-ins on campus during a discussion with theft prevention authorities this week.

Michelle Lanham, program manager for Reduce Auto Theft in Texas, a program of Texas Department of Transportation’s Texas Automobile Theft Prevention Authority, and TCU police officer Pam Christian answered questions, made suggestions and took complaints Wednesday.

“Nationally, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord are the hot cars,” Lanham said. “For Texas, it is Ford and Chevrolet pickup trucks. Everything is worth something to a thief.”

To prove that, Lanham parked a pickup truck built of cannibalized auto parts in the Student Center parking lot to show how chop-shops dismantle vehicles to sell for use again.

“Airbags on a Honda will go for $200 to $500, and they will often put the more powerful Acura engine into a Civic for illegal street racing,” Lanham said.

Christian said 70 car burglaries have occurred this semester, and most of them have happened at night.

“Be aware of your situation,” Christian said. “Try to park in well-lit areas, and don’t leave valuables out in plain view.”

For the month of October, the TCU Criminal Investigations Division Web site lists 37 car burglaries and five cases of criminal mischief in TCU parking lots. The freshman lot has had 15 burglaries this month. The lower freshman lot has had eight burglaries and one auto theft.

Eric Hibbetts, a senior marketing major, said he has never been burglarized but complained that the lots were too large to monitor and there weren’t enough cameras being used.

“I think constant supervision at night is necessary,” Hibbetts said.

After losing two CD faceplates last spring semester, sophomore international business major George Ferguson said he doesn’t want to give thieves any reason to break his windows again. He said he takes his CD faceplate with him.

“I seriously considered leaving TCU because of the problems I was having,” Ferguson said.

One student became so frustrated, he called CBS 11 to complain. A news story about TCU’s parking problem ran Oct. 24.

David Watson, a sophomore entrepreneurial business major, said he called the station after he talked to TCU authorities in the police department and administration.

“I just didn’t feel like enough was being done,” Watson said.

Don Mills, vice chancellor for student affairs, said TCU is concerned about the number of burglaries and noted the use of undercover officers, extra patrols and assistance from the Fort Worth police. He said it has enabled the university to apprehend some criminals but has not been effective in ending the burglaries.

TCU is analyzing a plan to install a six foot or larger fence along Cantey Street to prevent foot traffic and limit entrance to Daniel-Meyer Coliseum and Stadium parking lots through Frog Alley and post an officer to control access, he said.

Mills said he estimates a decision will be made in about three weeks, and the cost of the fence will be anywhere from $40,000 to $50,000.