Students may have reason to fear for the safety of their vehicles while parked on campus at Bakersfield College.
In the late morning on Jan. 29, Bakersfield College student Jaymee Rodriguez was returning to her car that was in the northeast parking lot after class. “As I got closer to my car there was a young lady sitting in her car crying and I could hear her telling the person on the other line that she was out of gas and going to be late for work.”
After arriving at her car, Rodriguez smelled gasoline and discovered her tank was empty.
Rodriguez filed a report to security and after filling up her gas tank for the second time that week, she attended her other class scheduled for that day.
Like other students, Rodriguez has many expenses of her own and losing a tank of gas can be almost devastating. “I have a chronic illness and recurring doctor visits. Due to being sick I am unable to work so my family is on a tight budget. My medical expenses are outrageous and my prescriptions are not cheap.”
A regular semester long parking pass is sold to students for $40. Students want to park on campus because it’s closer to classes and it’s supposedly safer.
On Jan. 22, a bulletin was sent to every BC student’s email about two incidences of grand theft auto ocurring in the southwest parking lot. In the email, BCAlert warns students other vehicle thefts are a possibility.
“Due to two vehicle thefts, and without relevant information about the suspect(s), it can be assumed that conditions continue to exist that may pose a threat to students and staff of Bakersfield College.”
In the BC Clery Act: 2014 Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report, it graphs the crime statistics concerning BC for the years of 2011-2013. The number of vehicle thefts decline throughout the three years shown. On the main campus of Bakersfield College in 2011, 17 vehicle thefts were reported, in 2012 nine vehicle thefts were reported, and in 2013 seven were reported.
In the same report there is a graph for the crime statistics of public property around the college (thoroughfares, streets, sidewalks and parking facilities, that is within the campus, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus). Five vehicle thefts were reported for the same years on surrounding public property of the campus. In the three years shown in the graph, less vehicles were stolen on the public property surrounding the campus than on the main campus.
According to dmv.ca.gov, a vehicle in the United States is stolen every 21 minutes. With that in mind, certain habits can reduce possible theft. Not leaving any valuables in your vehicle in plain sight, and checking to lock doors and windows before you leave your vehicle can cut down on crime in parking lots. If you see something, say something, call Bakersfield College Public Safety at (661) 395-4554 or (661) 395-4555.