Morehouse students furious with wave of car break-ins

ATLATA – Morehouse students are sounding the alarm after thieves broke into dozens of vehicles on the southwest Atlanta campus overnight.

“We had about 33 cars broken into in our school parking lot,” said Morehouse student Daylan Land.

It is the second time this week. Victims shared images of damaged vehicles, busted windows, and shattered glass littering the student parking lot on Webster Street near student dorms.

“My car was broken into. My friend left his book bag along with his $1,500 windows laptop in my car and we looked in and it’s like, it’s gone,” said Morehouse student Jacobia Sims.

“I’m not comfortable with this because it’s like, if they could break into our cars, that means they could easily have access to us in the dorms, so we kind of don’t feel safe,” said another victim, a Morehouse student. Jeremy Mensah.

Breunnica Sims received a frantic call from her brother after he discovered the damage to his BMW. She said he now worries for his own safety.

“He had just come back so in his mind within this small period of time this happened, so what if I would’ve come back and it was happening, we would’ve been getting a different phone call,” said Sims.

Students tell FOX 5 the barbed wire fence surrounding the lot does not stop thieves who can simply walk through a broken security gate to gain entry.

“We need better security,” said Morehouse student Omar Kaba. “This is ridiculous. We have fences that can be lifted or easily just cut. We have a security gate that is supposed to open with a key card. It doesn’t work.”

Students are also demanding increased security patrols to deter crime.

Morehouse College spokesman Cedric Mobley issued a written statement Friday afternoon stating:

“The safety of our students and employees is our top priority, and Morehouse stands in solidarity with our students and neighbors against crime.

“Our campus police department is working with other local authorities to investigate the cause of these unacceptable break-ins. We are also taking additional security measures to protect the safety and property of our students and staff, including additional secure parking options, security cameras, and surveillance.

“As a spike in crime has impacted our entire local area, we call upon our state and local elected officials to redouble their efforts to curtail the crime that has affected our city and state and has encroached upon our campus.”