A lack of spaces isn’t the only problem with campus parking; many students return to their cars after classes to find parking passes missing, new scratches on their bumpers, windows broken and other valuables taken without any thought to their owner.

In 2004, there were 80 car burglaries and 45 stolen cars on campus compared to 124 car burglaries and 40 stolen cars in 2003, according to the University Police Safety Report.Last year, there were five more motor vehicle thefts than in 2003-2004.

The Safety Report attributes the decrease in amount of stolen cars on campus to more reporting of incidents and “suspicious circumstances” by citizens.

Kenneth Barnett, director of the University Police Department, said that three new police officers will be on patrol within the next six months following the hiring and training. Currently, Sacramento State employs 18 full-time police officers.

Barnett said most auto burglaries are spread out and the majority of break-ins happen where the new structure is being built because the area is so big.

“Normally, if the vehicles are real close to a roadway, there are more people walking by, so they don’t get broken into as much. But sometimes it makes for an easy getaway,” Barnett said.

According to the 2004-2005 Safety Report, some suggestions for preventing car burglary and theft: Park in a safe area, lock and secure your vehicle, close all windows, place all property out of sight, use theft prevention devices and never leave your vehicle running while unattended.

UTAPS offers full staffed parking enforcement at the new Ramona Avenue lot from the time it opens at 8:40 a.m until the time it closes at 6:50 p.m. So far there have been no incidents at the new lot.

The lot holds up to 300 cars but has only been filled with 27-30 cars since it opened.Campus police patrol the Ramona lot up to three times a day.

Parking Enforcement Officer Marcella Fletcher said the Ramona lot is both convenient because students don’t have to deal with traffic on campus, but inconvenient because they have to go through the process of getting to school.

“At least we are giving (students) an option,” Fletcher said.

Junior criminal justice major Lacey Schmid doesn’t have a parking permit and usually parks her car off of Cadillac Drive and rides the bus to school. Schmid said that she feels safe leaving her car there because she lived there before.

Sophomore Justin Gomez, undeclared, has a parking permit and drives to school everyday. Gomez usually parks near Parking Structure I, but doesn’t feel his car is safe.

“I hear about people’s cars getting broken into all the time. My friend had his stereo stolen and seats vandalized during school in the middle of the day,” Gomez said.

Gomez said he would like to see more security and more regular patrols by the police on campus, even during the day.

Elizabeth Wilson can be reached at [email protected]