Despite an unusually quiet semester of crime, the ACU community has experienced a swell in motor vehicle burglaries since August, said ACUPD Chief of Police Jimmy Ellison.

A total of 16 burglaries of motor vehicles have occurred between Aug. 1 and Nov. 14, 10 of which were on-campus. At this time last year, only six had occurred.

“Students should be aware that car burglaries are not just a growing campus-wide problem but a citywide and statewide problem as well,” Ellison said.

The burglaries occurred in the parking lots of Smith and Adams Hall, Morris Hall, University Park, Oliver Jackson Boulevard near the softball field and near Jacob’s Dream. Ellison said the majority of the targeted vehicles are those that visibly contain valuable items or that are unlocked. Stolen items include iPods, iPones, laptops and navigation systems.

“There are 5,000 cars parked on campus, and it is so easy for suspects to blend in,” Ellison said. “They can walk up to an unlocked car and rummage through a glove compartment in 20 seconds.”

Ellison said college campuses present a challenge because it is not uncommon for people to walk around at night. He said the vast majority of suspects are juveniles and unaffiliated with ACU.

“That’s why the ACUPD relies on the campus community to report any suspicious activity,” Ellison said. “You call it in, and we’ll check it out – what’s the harm?”

Ellison said the ACU community needs to become more comfortable with reporting any activity they believe is suspicious. He said students commonly are reluctant to notify the police department because students do not want to place judgment on these lurking individuals.

“The ACUPD is not the first line of defense; it’s the public,” Ellison said. “And we need them to do their part.”

In addition to reporting suspicious activity, Ellison said he advises students to park in a well-lit area, lock their vehicle and hide all valuables.

Thomas Valdez, detective for the ACU Police Department, said the department has uncovered two possible suspects, both juvenile, who are believed to have been involved in four vehicle burglaries occurring in the parking lot of Smith and Adams Hall on Oct. 30.

“With these burglaries, there’s usually a connection between the suspect and a history with drug use,” Valdez said. “They need to steal to fund their addiction.”

Valdez said students should record the serial numbers of all their electronics and keep an emailed copy of the numbers in case of theft.

“If your car is broken into while you’re on a trip to Dallas, you can go online and report it immediately,” Valdez said. “That way, you can help detectives in finding your electronics by accessing the numbers from anywhere.”

Valdez said the ACU police department is working with the Walmart Loss Prevention department to obtain evidence from a car burglary that occurred last week. Walmart surveillance cameras captured a grainy image of two individuals who the ACUPD believes are responsible for breaking into the vehicle of an ACU student. The student’s wallet was stolen, and the suspects were found to be using the student’s credit card at Walmart within an hour of the burglary. ACUPD is in the process of obtaining more information regarding those individuals.

To report any suspicious activity, contact the ACU Police Department at 674-2305 or 674-2911.