{ "id": "2022-04-13-cal-state-la-parking-structure-a-vehicle-theft", "slug": "cal-state-la-parking-structure-a-vehicle-theft-2022-04-13", "institution": { "name": "California State University, Los Angeles", "shortName": "Cal State LA", "state": "CA", "type": "public-masters", "alertSystemName": "Eagle Alert / Timely Warning", "enrollment": 23000 }, "incident": { "date": "2022-04-13", "type": "theft", "cleryCategory": "timely-warning", "resolution": "unresolved", "headline": "Attempted theft of a Kia from Parking Structure A", "headlinePublic": "Attempted theft of a Kia from Parking Structure A", "summary": "Cal State LA Public Safety [issued a Timely Warning Crime Bulletin](https://www.calstatela.edu/sites/default/files/calstatela_-crime_alert-_vehicle_thefts_04142022.pdf) after an attempted motor-vehicle theft on the top level of Parking Structure A on April 13, 2022.", "outcome": "Suspect fled in a white Kia Optima also taken from campus; investigation open at bulletin time." }, "alerts": [ { "sequence": 1, "type": "initial", "timestampApprox": "2022-04-14", "channel": "email", "verbatimText": "Timely Warning Crime Bulletin: Motor Vehicle Theft\nThis Timely Warning Bulletin is being issued in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Act. The\npurpose is to provide information to the campus community that will prevent others from\nbecoming the victim of a similar crime.\n\nSummary: On Wednesday, April 13, 2022, at approximately 3:04 p.m., it was reported to the\nDepartment of Public Safety that an attempted motor vehicle theft had just taken place on the top level\nof Parking Structure A. The incident was captured on video with a cell phone and forwarded to the\nDepartment of Public Safety for follow-up. The video shows the suspect attempting to take the victim’s\nvehicle, a black Kia Optima, which resulted in damage to the victim’s door lock and vehicle ignition. The\nsuspect immediately retreated to a white Kia Optima that was standing by. It was later determined that\nthe white Kia Optima was also taken from campus earlier in the day or the night before.\n\nSuspect description: Male, Latino, 18-25 years, approximately 5’8’’, wearing a white T-shirt with a\nblack long-sleeve undershirt, light-colored pants, and an LA Kings baseball cap. The suspect also has a\ngreen-colored tattoo on his right wrist and hand.\n\n\n\n\nIf you have any information regarding this crime, please contact the Department of Public\nSafety on-duty Watch Commander at 323-343-3700 or call the Victim/Witness Assistance\nLine, available 24-hours a day, at 323-343-3756.\n\nIn recent months, the city and county of Los Angeles have seen a spike in auto thefts, specifically that of\nKias and Hyundais, which has also been a noticeable trend across the nation. The vehicle years are 2012-\n2020. Suspects are able to enter the vehicle and manipulate the ignition very quickly. The manufacturers\nof these vehicles have acknowledged this flaw and are recommending the use of an anti-theft steering\nwheel lock (club). More information regarding Kia and Hyundai thefts can be found online.\n\nHyundai customers can contact the Hyundai Consumer Assistance Center at 1-800-633-5151. Kia\ncustomers with questions regarding their Kia vehicle should contact the Consumer Assistance Center\ndirectly at 1-800-333-4542 (4Kia).\n\n\nIf you are the victim of a motor vehicle theft on campus:\nContact the Department of Public Safety immediately by calling 323-343-3700 and be prepared to\nprovide the following:\n\n  License plate number and vehicle year, make, model, and color;\n  Date, time, and location you last saw your vehicle;\n  Date and time you discovered your vehicle missing; and\n  Advise if you subscribe to a vehicle tracking service, such as Lojack or OnStar.\n\nGeneral safety considerations to prevent a motor vehicle theft:\n\n  Always lock your vehicle, close all windows and sunroof, and take your keys.\n  Never leave your vehicle running when unattended.\n  Park in busy, well-lit areas. Pick a parking spot where there is a lot of activity. Auto thieves\n prefer breaking into cars in isolated areas.\n  Install a vehicle tracking and location system that can be activated after the vehicle is reported\n as stolen.\n  Do not leave spare keys in or on your vehicle. An experienced thief knows all the hiding places.\n Store spare keys elsewhere, such as your wallet or purse.\n\nWe encourage all students, faculty, and staff to download the free Rave Guardian mobile app to access\nvaluable campus resources, including the ability to anonymously report suspicious activity to the\nDepartment of Public Safety. Search for Rave Guardian in the app store (iPhone or Android) on your\nmobile device. Download the app, follow the prompts, and enter your phone number and Cal State LA\nemail.\n\n\n Department of Public Safety: 323-343-3700\n IF YOU ENCOUNTER PERSONS INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, DIAL 9-1-1", "isVerbatimConfirmed": true, "confidence": "high", "sourceUrl": "https://www.calstatela.edu/sites/default/files/calstatela_-crime_alert-_vehicle_thefts_04142022.pdf", "sourceDescription": "Cal State LA Timely Warning Crime Bulletin PDF 04/14/2022", "annotations": [ "Dual independent PDF fetch 2026-08-16; files byte-identical. sha256 ab3d85e65af1972327bb7f085d62512bdd784faaeb994ff1d0e188f25b033c9b.", "pdftotext -layout; trailing line spaces stripped. Footer date 04/14/2022. Incident occurred April 13, 2022 3:04 p.m.", "Thread checked N/A (PDF bulletin).", "Distinct incident from 2019-10-29-cal-state-la-annex-lab-threat and 2019-04-25-cal-state-la-measles-quarantine: different hazard class." ], "characterCount": 3866 } ], "context": "Cal State LA posts Clery timely-warning PDFs at [calstatela.edu/police/crime-alerts](https://www.calstatela.edu/police/crime-alerts). Eagle Alert is a subscriber system, not a public archive. Official @CalStateLA X holds holiday closures, not this bulletin.", "keyFindings": [ "Clery timely warning for attempted Kia theft in Parking Structure A with suspect description and anti-theft guidance." ], "sources": [ { "title": "Timely Warning Crime Bulletin: Motor Vehicle Theft 04/14/2022", "url": "https://www.calstatela.edu/sites/default/files/calstatela_-crime_alert-_vehicle_thefts_04142022.pdf", "type": "official-archive", "accessDate": "2026-08-16", "archiveUrl": null, "archiveNotes": "SPN 523 at capture; archive.org save endpoint unavailable or throttled" } ], "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "public-masters", "california", "cal-state-la", "theft", "timely-warning" ], "dateAdded": "2026-08-16", "lastUpdated": "2026-08-16", "addedBy": "ingestion" }