A Turrell Manor resident's vehicle was stolen Sunday at 5:50 a.m. by a group of individuals who entered the parking lot at 525 South Orange Ave. and broke into the vehicle, presumably forcing open a locked door, according to Assistant Director of Public Safety and Security Gary Christie.
The group, driving a "dark colored sedan," drove away with the student's Dodge Caravan going east on South Orange Avenue, according to security footage.
The footage has been released to the South Orange Police Department, which is investigating the incident.
The lot is located near Turrell Manor, and parking is offered for anyone with a valid parking permit. The space is used by residents, students and faculty, according to Christie.
"It is not uncommon for gangs of criminals to steal several vehicles at the same time and to use them to commit other crimes," he said.
According to Christie, the footage was caught on a camera placed in the lot last summer as part of a process to increase off-campus security and expand the video surveillance system.
Lots such as Turrell Manor off-campus are not secure, and naturally more susceptible to crime, Christie said.
He suggested that for more security, members of the Seton Hall community should park on campus overnight.
For off-campus parking, Christie recommends "using anti-theft-devices like steering wheel clubs, alarms systems and cut-off switches that disable cars if someone attempts to steal them."
Mary Marshall can be reached at mary.marshall@student.shu.edu.
