A car and set of tires stolen from Diego Rivera parking lot

By Arely V. and Angel T.

Teachers and staff across Diego Rivera Learning Complex were informed via email in late September about an auto theft in the school’s parking lot, but that wasn’t the only theft that occurred since then.

Ms. Michele Smith, DRLC Assistant Principal of Operations and Communications, shares another incident of auto theft that also took place since the school year began. “I was not on campus, but I heard that a staff member had her 4 rims and tires stolen.”

Both victims, according to Ms. Smith, have been in contact with the police, but it’s unclear who the perpetrators were and whether the stolen property has been found and returned. At the time of the interview, Ms. Smith said that one victim had relocated schools and the other person was on undetermined leave.

To ensure the school’s safety, Mr. Antonio Roque, Assistant Principal at CATS, states that Ms. Smith has come up with a plan and that is “That [the] gate stays closed and locked.” Typically, the gate would stay open.

Teachers and staff will now be required to use a key to get inside the parking lot gate, according to Mr. Francisco Garcia, campus aide. They have installed a new buzzer to the front gate and campus aides also rotate to survey the parking lot. 

Ms. Smith believes a TikTok trend is to blame. The trend targets certain Kia and Hyundai models due to there being a manufacturing flaw, which makes these car models accessible to steal just by having the same model key.

“They [teachers and staff] were afraid to come after school and not find their car there,” Mr. Roque said. His concern isn’t as strong as others may be, as he always parks his car in the same spot in front of the Multi-Purpose Room (MPR), “where a lot of people can see.” Leaving your car in the middle of the parking lot may make your car an easy target as they get blocked by other cars, he added.

Ms. Smith and other staff members know of an issue where students are able to open the front gate from the inside by picking up the control box and pushing a button to open the gate, which would leave it open for anyone to get in and out. When campus staff find students in the parking lot, Mr. Garcia said, “I usually walk them out and tell them to leave.”

“We live in an area that is known for theft violence,” he added. School staff caution that if you drive to school, make sure you keep your car locked at all times and arrive early to park in a visible area. For reassurance, Mr. G states, “Ms. Smith and all the other employees are here doing their best they can to prevent auto-theft.”