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Recent car burglaries on campus have sparked concern over the security of parking lots. In a one-

For history Professor Kevin Terraciano, it wasn’t the first time – or the second.

“This is the third time in three years that our car has been vandalized,” he said. “This time, they smashed the whole passenger-side window – just to take the parking permit.”

Terraciano is not alone. According to a bulletin released by university police, there has been a recent increase in vehicle-related crimes at UCLA and the surrounding area.

The bulletin stated that between July 1 and Aug. 1, 27 burglaries from motor vehicles occurred in UCLA parking structures and lots.

UCPD spokeswoman, Nancy Greenstein, said though the number of reported motor vehicle burglaries in the area averages about 15 per month, the July increase is not significant and can be attributed, in part, to a one-day period when nine incidents occurred.

“There was probably a person or a group of people busy that day,” Greenstein said. “It’s never as simple as ‘crime is up.’”

UCPD Detective Selby Arsena, who investigates auto-related crimes, said some incidents appear to be related, occurring on the same days and in the same areas. According to police records, multiple burglaries were reported on several days over the past couple of months, with six reported on the last day of June.

Records also show that the most commonly stolen items are car stereos and parking permits, and Arsena said burglars implement a number of methods to gain entry into vehicles.

Some burglars simply break the car window, while others use a slim jim – the same device that AAA uses to open car doors.

Because of the nature of the crime, Arsena said there are often few leads – little evidence and no witnesses.

Terraciano, who is a faculty-in-residence, said aside from this year’s incident in which his window was smashed, the passenger’s side lock of his car was broken two years ago, and his license plates were stolen three years ago.

“Every single one of these incidents was at the first level (of the Sunset Village lot), in plain sight.” he said.

“I’m selling the car. I can’t afford to have a car under these circumstances,” he added.

Arsena noted that some lots, including the Sunset Village Lot, get “hit more than others.”

UCLA Parking Services director Renee Fortier was unavailable for comment after several phone calls last week, and other UCLA Parking Services officials declined to comment.

John-Carl Olsen, a second-year graduate student in chemistry, whose parked car was broken into at the end of July, said burglars in Lot 8 took his $500 car stereo.

Greenstein said with over 20,000 cars parked in the UCLA lots each day, the level of crime is low. Arsena added that with police and Community Service Officers that are contracted to UCLA Parking Services regularly patrolling the lots, the department is not understaffed.

“You can’t have someone there at every minute. The structures are patrolled a lot, but no matter how often, you can’t be there every second every time,” he said.

Arsena added that people parking in the lots should avoid leaving valuable items in their cars, where passersby – burglars included – can see them.

Igor Yanovskiy, a Ph.D. candidate and staff employee in applied mathematics, said his car window was smashed last week while he was parked on campus. Yanovskiy, who said this was the first time his car was burglarized, said he has parked in UCLA lots since 1997.

“Of course I will continue parking. I don’t have any other choice,” Yanovskiy said, while on his way to pick up his repaired car.