Laney College President Rudy Besikof issued a safety advisory to the Peralta Community College District (PCCD) community on June 27, after a vehicle was broken into and later stolen on the Laney College campus.
According to the statement, an individual was inside the vehicle when the passenger window was broken into.
“Valuables, including keys and items identifying other belongings, were taken, and a few hours later, the vehicle itself was stolen,” Besikof stated.
According to PCCD Executive Director of Public Safety, Abdul Pridgen, a roving Marina Security guard on duty was on a lunch break at the time of the incident.
While on break, the guard “drove to cover the entrance of the parking and sat in their vehicle,” Pridgen stated. “As I understand it, the ambassador deviated from standard protocol by not exi[t]ing their vehicle.”
According to Pridgen, Marina “immediately addressed the situation with their staff.” A guard was posted to watch the vehicle after the burglary was discovered.
The “alleged perpetrators” returned several hours later and stole the vehicle, according to Pridgen.
“Marina Ambassadors were there and attempted to prevent the theft but they were ignored,” Pridgen stated.
The Citizen is awaiting copies of any incident reports made to PCCD’s Public Safety Department and/or the Oakland Police Department and will update this story if they are received.
Pridgen, a former San Leandro police chief, declined to release security footage of the incident.
He explained that law enforcement typically doesn’t release security footage unless they want help locating a suspect. From his understanding, it has also been the district’s policy not to release security footage.
In the safety advisory, Besikof asked community members to exercise caution when in parking areas such as locking their vehicles, keeping belongings out of sight, staying aware of their surroundings, and limiting cell phone use unless in a secure location.
Community members can call the Peralta Office of Public Safety 24/7 at (510) 466-7236, or 911, in case of an emergency or to report suspicious activity, Besikof stated.
Besikof also encouraged community members to view the district’s safety information video.
Ivan Saravia and Li Khan, two Laney College students and members of The Citizen, did not receive the safety advisory in their student email inboxes.
