Morehouse College students demand extra security after 30 cars were broken into

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) - Students at Morehouse College are demanding answers after dozens of vehicles were broken into overnight.

Windows were smashed and valuables were stolen. More than 30 cars were targeted inside a fenced-in campus parking lot on Webster Street. Students say the gate doesn’t lock and hasn’t in years.

“They need to up security. They need to fix the door,” said Omar Kaba, a Morehouse student. “I mean there’s not much you can do about the fence, but at the very least you can have security patrolling more regularly.”

Vehicles parked on Parson and Webster Streets were also broken into. Glass was still scattered along the curb Friday afternoon. College officials say campus police are working with Atlanta Police to investigate. In a statement to CBS46, Morehouse College said it will increase security by adding more cameras and more surveillance.

“We pay thousands of dollars to go and to not have some type of security protocols implemented into our school’s dynamic is kind of concerning,” said Akeem Muller, a Morehouse student.

In a lengthy social media post, the Morehouse College Student Government Association said students don’t feel safe. SGA is calling on the college administration and campus police to be more transparent in their efforts to increase security.

“We say security is happening, but we don’t actually see security going on,” said Muller.

SGA and Student Services are creating an emergency fund to help students whose cars were broken into. One student said it was going to cost him more than $300 to repair his car.

Full statement from Morehouse College:

“The safety of our students and employees is our top priority, and Morehouse stands in solidarity with our students and neighbors against crime,” said Morehouse College spokesman Cedric Mobley. “Our campus police department is working with other local authorities to investigate the cause of these unacceptable break-ins. We are also taking additional security measures to protect the safety and property of our students and staff, including additional secure parking options, security cameras, and surveillance. As a spike in crime has impacted our entire local area, we call upon our state and local elected officials to redouble their efforts to curtail the crime that has affected our city and state and has encroached upon our campus.”

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