Thieves in Eugene are breaking into and stealing from cars in record numbers this year, and with University students flooding back into campus-area neighborhoods, police expect a worsening in theft.
In the campus area alone, thefts from vehicles have risen 174 percent. Crime has grown 62 percent citywide.
“There will be a lot more vehicles available,” Eugene police officer Randy Ellis said. “That means there will be a lot more thefts and victims.”
Victims reported 33 thefts from vehicles in the campus area between Sept. 15 and 21.
Thirty-one break-ins have already been reported in 2005 in the West University neighborhood, the campus area hardest hit by vehicle theft, more than double the number at the same time last year.
College students are easily victimized because for many of them “this is their first time away from home, and they never had to worry about (theft) before,” Ellis said. “They are more vulnerable and trusting.”
Eugene Police Department spokeswoman Kerry Delf said “issues of limited funds, limited prosecution and limited jail space” contribute to the recent increase in property theft.
Offenders often go free for low-level theft. Others may not spend adequate time in jail.
This entices offenders to commit more crimes, Ellis said.
“If you’re not going to get in trouble, you’re going to steal,” he said.
Delf said it is likely that a small group of people commit most thefts, and most crimes are usually drug related. She linked the July 2004 demise of the Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team, dedicated to cracking down on local drug trade, to the rise in car and property theft.
Thieves are gaining access to vehicles through broken windows, sunroofs or unlocked doors or windows. The most common items stolen are stereos, speakers, clothing, textbooks, iPods and portable DVD players.
Late-model Hondas and Toyotas are popular cars among students and are the most frequently entered by thieves. They are also the easiest to break into. These models account for 25 percent of cars stolen in Eugene, Delf said.
Police say thieves are becoming quicker and bolder. Ellis said thefts are occurring during the day in crowded parking lots or private apartment garages. People should always lock their cars and remove valuable items from view, he said.
Sophomore music major Aaron Rohrbacher’s 1990 Toyota Camry was broken into on Sept. 18. The thief entered the vehicle by shattering the sunroof and stole the stereo and speakers, totaling $1,000 in losses and damages.
“That’s my space, and someone else took something from me,” Rohrbacher said. “That’s not a fun feeling.”
People can help prevent car theft and break-ins by filing a police report as soon as possible, no matter how inconsequential the theft seems. This helps authorities know which areas are most vulnerable to break-ins and what items are most desirable to thieves. Unusual activity should also be reported to police.

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