Editorial Revision 2/23- The original article was updated to reflect the most current state of vehicle-related crimes on campus, upon the release of new information.

Grand Valley State University’s Police Department sent out an email alert on Friday, Feb. 21 updating the campus community of the most recent incidents of vehicle-related crime at GVSU. Additional vehicle break-ins and two stolen vehicles have been added to a growing streak of vehicle-related crime at GVSU. Police believe the instances may be connected.

The Feb. 21 alert was a follow up to a similar notice sent to students on Tuesday, Feb. 11, warning the University community of multiple reports of vehicle-related crime. Throughout February, a total of three stolen vehicles, numerous break-ins and several attempted break-ins have been reported to GVPD. All incidents occurred in parking lots that serve on-campus residence halls. All of the crimes were allegedly committed not by students, but people from neighboring cities who came onto campus.

One stolen vehicle, two confirmed larcenies from vehicles, several overnight break-ins and multiple attempted break-ins occurred over the week of Feb. 3, which prompted the initial alert. Six vehicles also sustained damaged or broken windows throughout that week.

Almost all larceny reports associated with the first alert came from Lot D, a parking lot that serves North campus housing residents. A few initial reports also came from Lot P, which serves students on South campus and in the Honors College. According to the update, the most recent incidents of crime occurred in residential parking lots D, K, P and R on campus, expanding the previous scope of targeted lots. 

According to GVPD, individuals who commit vehicle-related thefts often travel to campus in stolen cars. GVPD has determined the suspects are now traveling in a vehicle without a license plate. A stolen vehicle used by a suspect broke down in Lot D on the Allendale Campus. The vehicle was recovered by GVPD, and its plates were traced back to Kentwood.

GVPD Captain Kourosh Khatir said vehicle larcenies are most often crimes of opportunity, committed when a vehicle is left unlocked. He said the vehicle that was stolen from campus had a spare key in the glove box.

“It’s amazing to me how many cars are left unlocked,” Khatir said. “Just lock the doors, make sure high value items are not in plain sight and if you see something suspicious, just give us (GVPD) a call.”

GVSU student Maddie Pope parks overnight in Lot D. She discovered her vehicle was broken into when she found one of its doors wide open.

“I walked to my car (and) my door was open,” Pope said. “I looked inside, and all my stuff from my middle console and dashboard were all over the seat.”

Fortunately for Pope, nothing was stolen from her vehicle. She said she plans to be more vigilant in the future.

“I definitely don’t want to be alone, walking at night knowing there’s people out there that are trying to cause harm,” Pope said. “(I am) also just making sure I’m locking my car and not leaving anything valuable in it.”

Khatir said there had been a significant drop in on-campus larcenies since October 2024, following a similar report that alerted students to be more vigilant about locking their vehicles. However, the last few weeks’ larceny spike seems to continue a larger trend in which larceny at the University has tripled since 2021. Khatir couldn’t definitively speak on what is driving the trend upward beyond the issues he’d previously mentioned.

“Perhaps word spread that you can just go into (lots) and (that) you’ll be successful (because) a lot of cars are left unlocked,” Khatir said.

In addition to sending out email alerts, GVPD is working with the University’s Housing and Residence Life to educate staff on preventative measures they can share with students living on campus.

“The biggest thing we can do is educate our campus community,” Khatir said. “Certainly, no spare keys should be in (vehicles).”

All vehicle theft incidents have taken place between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., according to GVPD. Khatir said the police department is considering enhancing security camera systems in affected areas.

No information regarding arrests was available at the time this article was published.