A string of car break-ins over the weekend left families visiting their children at Texas Tech University feeling frustrated and unsafe.
From September 27 to September 29, the Lubbock Police Department reported that 30 vehicles were broken into, with 11 incidents occurring at local hotels.
Meredith Beavers, a parent visiting for the weekend, expressed disappointment, “It’s kind of sad because we love coming to Lubbock.”
Wade Jones commented, “It’s kind of strange having all your things gone through, console and everything else.”
Many families were left to deal with smashed windows and ransacked vehicles, but despite the damage, most victims reported that nothing of value was stolen.
Out of the three families EverythingLubbock.com spoke with, only one man’s empty gun case was taken, raising questions about the motives behind the break-ins.
“I don’t know if they thought there was a gun in there,” Casey Matthews said.
Lubbock Police indicated the break-ins appeared targeted, focusing primarily on specific vehicle makes.
“The police officer told us they mainly hit Chevys and Dodges, thinking those people might have firearms,” Beavers explained. Matthews confirmed that two trucks of the same make and model were broken into, highlighting a pattern in the incidents.
Families were particularly upset about the situation after paying higher rates for accommodations during parents’ weekend.
Jones said, “I was there and paid $550 for my stay, which is outrageous.” Beavers added, “You’re telling me you couldn’t hire someone for the weekend? It’s parents’ weekend; there’s going to be a lot of cars in the parking lot.”
In light of these events, LPD advised residents and visitors to avoid leaving firearms in vehicles to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.
https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/local-news/lubbock-visitors-targeted-in-weekend-car-break-ins
