Theft and break-ins affect cars, students
 By Kirsten Coachman
The Collegian
Despite statistics showing auto break-ins are decreasing, Fresno State students are still being affected.
The damage done to the cars broken into are usually fixable, but it comes at the cost of the students, whose property has been tampered with. The memory of the break in stays with students.
Viticulture major Paige Montague, went out to her car, a 1995 Ford Explorer, Feb. 6 to find the side window of her car had been broken open. The stereo she received for Christmas and her cds had been stolen.
“I was just freaking out, I was really shaky. I was surprised that I kept calm while I was talking to the police department,” Montague said.
Montague, who lives on-campus, had not used her car since Jan. 31. She said her car could have been broken into at any point during the week. Montague said there was glass on the ground next to her broken window, and that she doesn’t feel that her car is really safe.
“Right now, I have a duct taped window,” Montague said.
Political science major Cole Ramsey has had multiple experiences with his Chevy Tahoe being broken into and vandalized.
In fall 2004, two tires on Ramsey’s car were slashed. In spring 2005, even more damage was done.
“That was the first time, it was about $500 worth of damage to replace,” Ramsey said. “The second time was $2800 worth of body damage, about $2000 worth of stereo stuff stolen. I had a smashed window, and they tried to pry the door handle out, broke the dashboard, broke my steering column, stole the stereo, and my amp.”
Political science major Jennifer Swartz had her 1994 Jeep Cherokee vandalized in one of the parking lots last year.
Swartz’s car lock on one of her doors had been drilled into, which was about $200 in damage to fix.
“I was kind of upset at first, but I wasn’t really surprised, because Fresno is one of the top cities for car vandalism and theft,” Swartz said.
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