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Around 12:00 PM on Saturday, April 1, Mary Velázquez ’23 found her car missing from the parking lot at 5104 York Road across from Lerner on the east side of campus. Her light blue car, adorned with stickers and stuffed animals, is no longer parked in the first spot at the entrance with a gate that never closes or locks, facing Clawson Her Avenue and Notre Dame Her Lane. rice field.
That Friday night, she walked to the BSA fashion show and decided to park her car in the parking lot. On Saturday morning, while walking to her car to have breakfast with her friends, she noticed another car parked in the same spot she had parked the night before and asked the rear assistant in the spot. I saw a pile of broken glass near my seat.
After calling campus police to make sure her car was not parked anywhere, they arrived at the parking lot to assess the situation and after viewing camera footage with Baltimore police, We confirmed that Velázquez’s car had been robbed at 2:58 a.m. However, as Velázquez explained, when he first spoke with the cops, he found the door unlocked and the thief breaking in. She kept saying it must be, and the glass on the ground was from another car that broke down that night.
“I said, ‘That glass is mine. They broke into my car and stole it.’ It was a back and forth discussion,” Velázquez said.
Adrian Black, Loyola’s director of public safety, confirmed that two other vehicles were broken into by the same suspect that night. After confirmation, campus police told Velázquez that a private investigator would work on her case during business hours on Monday. I sent an e-mail to the detective on Monday, but still haven’t heard back.
“I cannot stress enough how alone I was during the first few days of the robbery. I realized I had to reach out and pay attention to what was.”
She said she felt completely alone and stopped investigating her car further.
“Once the Baltimore Police and Campus Police left, I was completely cut off from everyone. I expected to hear something from people on Monday, but nothing. I was never contacted by anyone involved or a representative.”
A week after her car was stolen, Velázquez said campus police asked her for an update. Also, if she had any questions other than where to get her car assistance, they were sending her a link to her counseling center. .
“I didn’t need counseling. I needed a support plan on how to handle this situation. I needed a guide on what to do.”
A few days before this incident, Velázquez was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to attend graduate school in England the following year. She said the award caught the attention of her Loyola marketing team and asked her to write a press release about her to promote her success with her writing department and Loyola. I explained.
“At the same time this happened, a lot of people started asking me for press releases, many of which were just Loyola propaganda. I said I wouldn’t do it until they recognized me.I had to ignore this amazing thing that happened to me in order to get attention.”
When asked about the campus police response to student needs, Black said: Police Department. “
Thankfully, her car was found by a towing company on April 6 after being illegally parked. However, Velázquez then had to pay a $300 seizure fee and a towing fee to remove it from the city’s seizure site. The damage to her car was extensive, her steering her column was completely torn off and her airbags, battery and thermostat had to be replaced. Also, the rear window was cracked, confirming that the car had actually been broken into rather than stolen. Because the door was unlocked. Besides her insurance, Ms. Velázquez owes up to $4,000 for her repairs and car rental.
Velázquez was able to get a $250 refund for a semester’s parking ticket.
“Now that I have all the bills for my debt, I feel I deserve to be paid back for this car that should have been protected.”
This hefty bill was a financial burden for Velazquez, but she explained that the incident robbed her of something valuable. It was in the backseat of the car on its way to the display case where it was awarded to be displayed. Her seat was stained with paint and mildew from a storm she had while parked her car on the street with broken windows.
“I am paying to put my car in this parking lot, the same amount that other students pay to put their car behind the gate. It’s paying, but I’m paying to expose my car, and when you have a lot of establishments that are open all the time, you have to keep an eye on it all the time.”
Not only was her artwork destroyed, she felt a part of herself had been stolen.
Mike Mansfield, vice president of ancillary operations, said in his 23 years at Loyola, he never remembers a car being stolen. Although there are occasional vandalism and break-ins, there are no trends or specific areas where cars are targeted.
“We are at a loss when it comes to parking. Because about 60 people live and there are only 14 spots.We typically transfer 20 to 30 students per year.One of the two police stations on campus is located there. It’s been a safe place and has always been a safe place because of it,” Mansfield said.
Mansfield acknowledged that it would be disappointing to adjust safety protocols because something happened, and that it would be passive rather than proactive, and moved the entrance on the side facing Lerner into a swipe-access gate. said there may be an opportunity to We constantly monitor parking lots and buildings throughout campus.
Now Velázquez is seeking accountability from the Loyola police.
“At the end of the day, cars get stolen. I just want to give Loyola some accountability. It never happened, so I feel it’s unfair, and if somebody (policeman) was there, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Velázquez is meeting with Loyola Public Security to discuss increasing security at motorpools and lowering prices for overflow parking tickets.
Aside from the recent carjackings, there have also been arrests by Baltimore police. Arrested were men in a car parked on Charles Street between Lange’s coat and his FAC. Between 4am and 6am, he parked his car and watched the students drive to the gym.
After this was reported, the man was arrested by Baltimore County police and the case was deemed closed. Later, more details about the man came to light.
Black said, “The person of note was arrested on April 6, 2023. While under surveillance, he was observed parked in his car to escape a marked police car. His behavior pattern was predictable.
Black said the man had a criminal record and the arrest was deemed the case closed. The arrest warrant lists charges of “enrollment of property by the registrant.” The statement’s demand text includes, “You may not knowingly enter property used for public or non-public primary or secondary education that is contrary to the peace, government and dignity of the country.”
When asked what Loyola students can do to limit these possible encounters and stay safe, Black spoke about the LiveSafe app.
“We encourage all Loyola students to download and familiarize themselves with the LiveSafe mobile security app. It is available for free in any app store. Students can download the app using their Loyola email address, You will need to create a new password.If you need to contact campus police, use the app or call us anytime.”
Another great app to have is the Citizen App. Enter your location to be alerted to fires, crime, traffic accidents, and more happening in your area.
A few other things to consider are walking or driving with someone, especially early in the morning or late at night. Another important thing to remember is the non-emergency number at (410) 617-5010. You can request an escort anywhere on campus at any time by calling this number.
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