WVU Police Chief W.P. Chedester said he believes it was primarily an act of vandalism, not theft, when someone broke windows out of more than 30 cars in a parking lot near the WVU College of Law.
Chedester said 33 or 34 cars were damaged, but items were left that would normally be taken in a theft. He called the incident a “singular act of vandalism,” meaning that everything took place at one time.
“We didn’t have a lot of stuff taken,” Chedester said.
The incident is believed to have occurred between 3-6 a.m., Saturday, April Kaull, WVU spokesperson said.
All vehicle owners have been contacted, Chedester said.
Giovanni Zanabria is one of those victims.
The driver’s window was shatter, he said. He received a call from the police about 9:30 a.m. Saturday.
The 19-year-old freshman said nothing was stolen from his vehicle, but whoever did it looked through the glovebox and center console.
“I did not have anything valuable in my car except for a cheap car charger,” Zanabria said.
Kaull said the department of transportation sent all permit holders for area 200 an email Tuesday stating it is aware of the vandalism, police are investigating and reminding people not to leave valuables in their cars.
Area 200 is a paid lot, which costs permit-holders $366 a year, according to WVU’s transportation and parking website. The lot has 285 spaces, Kaull said.
An incident like this has never been reported in area 200 before, Kaull said.
“Having that many cars broken into at once in the same area is unusual,” Chedester said.
He said the affected cars were all parked by each other in the middle of the lot and there is not a discernible pattern with regards to makes or models of the vandalized cars.
“I don’t think it will happen again, but my parents are worried,” Zanabria said.
About 10 cars had some kind of plastic covering the windows in area 200 Tuesday morning.
Zanabria’s car was repaired by Monday for $339.18, with tax, he said. He said the university has not offered to pay for the damage, but he was asked by police to scan and email the receipt.
“I hope I get some compensation,” he said.
Area 200 does not have cameras directly monitoring it, but there are cameras in the general area, Kaull said. Chedester said investigators were checking those cameras.
Zanabria said he can’t understand why the lot doesn’t have cameras. He said he asked an officer and was told he would need to contact the university’s administration.
A temporary camera is being installed in the lot and the university’s police department has increased patrols in that area, Kaull said.
The temporary camera works on a cellular network and is installed as it’s needed, Chedester said.
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