A student’s white Hyundai Elantra was stolen from the student parking lot Thursday, Nov. 14 in broad daylight. This is raising concerns about the security on campus and left the student without transportation.
The theft likely occurred on Thursday during the school day according to senior Marcos Looper, who is the victim of the theft. After leaving from a volleyball practice around 8 p.m., he found his car missing from the parking lot.
“I’d gotten out of one of our volleyball practice around 8 o’clock and was walking out of my car with my keys in hand,” Looper said. “ I walked out to where I had parked my car, or where I thought I had parked my car, and it was just empty. It was empty and there was no car there. I don’t park anywhere else, I always park in the same spot everyday.”
There was no officer or security member who had witnessed the car being stolen. Looper called his father to inform him of the incident that had just taken place.
“I called my dad and was like, ‘I’m pretty sure my car got stolen’,” Looper said. “And he goes ‘what?’ I was like ‘yeah I’m pretty sure my car got stolen. I don’t park anywhere else. My car isn’t here. I have my keys, but I don’t know where it is.’ Shortly after I called him to come pick me up I filed a police report for it and told them my information. They said they’ll be on the lookout for it.”
With the help of his father, Looper looked through the student parking lot to make sure it wasn’t misplaced. To no avail, the car was still missing.
“After my dad had picked me up we searched all of the parking lot here at Glenn,” Looper said. “We even looked at Danielson’s parking lot just in case my friends had decided ‘oh this would be funny’ and moved my car. Which it would not be funny for clarification. We searched a very large area for it.”
The theft in broad day-light has drawn attention to the security on campus. Officers contacted Looper’s grandmother, the owner of the vehicle, on Friday, stating that the car had been sighted Thursday in Cedar Park around 4:50 p.m., leading Looper to believe the theft must have occured during school hours.
“I honestly think we can improve security everywhere by just having more officers,” Looper said. “Just one isn’t enough, and yes I understand we have a person to drive throughout the lot, but he clearly missed something. My car is gone. I don’t have it.”
Due in part to social media, according to NPR, there have been a spike in Kia and Hyundai thefts in recent years due to their lack of immobilizer systems. This has since been repaired with newer models, but older models manufactured between 2011 and 2022 are still subject to theft. Looper’s insurance will cover the missing car if not found or returned in 15 days. With no car, Looper’s grandmother has lent a hand to help him get to school.
“If it wasn’t for the fact that my grandma is a very amazing person, I would have to get here about forty minutes early everyday because my mom is a teacher here and she would be taking me to school,” Looper said. “Don’t drive Kias or Hyundais. Even if you lock your car it won’t matter. Stay safe, always.”