Damaged cars left in wake of stereo thefts
UA police officers are searching for suspects in connection with six on-campus car stereo thefts and two botched burglary attempts last week.
An unknown number of suspects jimmied locks and broke windows to access the stereos since Monday, according to University of Arizona Police reports. Officers obtained fingerprints from three of the damaged cars.
"To say this behavior is common - certainly not," said UAPD Cmdr. Brian Seastone. "This is quite unusual."
The individual thief or suspects appear to have zigzagged throughout the west side of campus during the rash of burglaries, reports stated.
Cars left in the garage on North Park Avenue and East Speedway Boulevard and Main Gate Garage on East University Boulevard were robbed. Thieves also targeted cars in the Zone One lot south of Coronado Residence Hall, 822 E. Fifth St. and the UA lot on East Sixth Street and North Tyndall Avenue.
"They are all being connected up," Seastone said.
About $800 in stereo equipment was stolen between Monday at 1 p.m. and Thursday at 7 a.m. during a robbery in a parking lot north of the Sigma Chi fraternity.
In seven out of the eight thefts and attempted robberies, the cars suffered damage including broken windows and smashed dashboards.
During one incident, a steering column was busted, leaving the car immobile.
"Our patrol officers are aware of it," Seastone said. "We try to target areas we've noticed."
Seastone said the city of Tucson also has noted a rash of thefts just off-campus and is following those cases.
"The city has had some problems as well that they're working on," Seastone said.
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