Parking permits on campus are a hot commodity. Last year 157 CSUS parking permits were reported lost or stolen and only 5 were recovered

Parking permits on campus are a hot commodity.

Last year 157 CSUS parking permits were reported lost or stolen and only 5 were recovered.

This semester, the thieves are at it again.

Typically, most permits are stolen from vehicles with windows left open or partially open or with unlocked doors. Other cases of permit theft have resulted from broken windows or door locks, or in rare cases, the student’s car was stolen.

In 1998/99, 75 citations were issued because of vehicles displaying stolen permits. These citations can lead to a charge of possession of stolen property and a possible arrest. Last year four people were charged and one was arrested.

The parking structure near the music building and Lot 8 in front of the football field had the most reported cases of theft, accounting for over half of last year’s reports.

Over the last two semesters, 34,000 permits were purchased by students, faculty and staff, with an additional 2,400 issued during the summer session. The 157 stolen permits represent less than one percent of those distributed.

If a parking permit is lost of stolen, it should be immediately reported to UTAPS, located by the residence halls. A temporary parking permit will be issued while a decision is being rendered on the report. UTAPS may replace the permit if the vehicle it was stolen from was considered secure and if the theft is substantiated by a police report.

Bumper sticker style permits are not subject to theft, and are recommended by UTAPS officials. When peeled off the bumper, they come off in small pieces and are unusable. Less than 3 percent use these permits instead of the more popular hanging type.