Trespasser in vehicle frightens UCLA student
Police have no suspect, but lend local safety tips
By Lucia Sanchez
Daily Bruin Staff
University police have no leads in the search for a man who
surprised a UCLA student as she returned to her car and found him
sitting in her back seat early Friday morning, police said.
Senior English student Anna Andrews discovered a tall male
possibly in his early 20s in the back seat of her Chevy Blazer
early Friday morning, university police said.
The suspect broke Andrews’ front right passenger window to gain
access to her car parked near the corner of Gayley and Veteran
Avenues.
Andrews tossed her backpack on the front seat of the car, before
noticing the intruder, investigating university Det. Mark
Littlestone said.
"She screamed and they both took off running," Littlestone
said.
Andrews had been dropped off at her car at about 1:35 a.m. by a
co-worker and was preparing to drive home when she surprised the
suspect.
News of the incident brought home the possibility of violence in
Westwood to some UCLA students.
"The one place you feel you’re safe, is your metal coffin, and
then you hear about something like this," third-year aerospace
engineer student David Lackner said. "You realize it can happen to
you."
Police have very little to go on, besides the suspect’s height
and age range, Littlestone said. Andrews could only recall that the
man might have been wearing a windbreaker.
As of yet, the suspect’s motive is undetermined, Littlestone
added. It is possible, among other things, that the man may have
been a transient sleeping in the car, or actually intended to
burglarize the car, he explained.
"At this point, without any (more) information on him, I have
absolutely no idea (what his motive was)," he said.
During Det. Littlestone’s four years as an officer at UCLA, he
has never known of a similar situation in which someone encounters
a person in their car, he said.
"I think it was a fluke. Most times the burglar is going to try
and get out of the car (before you return)," Littlestone said.
"Normally they’re aware of what’s going on around them."
And while students need not worry that this is a growing trend,
Littlestone recommended students take precautions.
"Before you approach your car look around you. Look at your car,
make sure there’s no one in the back, make sure your windows aren’t
broken," he advised.
Still, some community members said they are always on their
guard in parking lots and on the streets.
Rachel Grose, a Hillel employee who visits campus daily and at
times stays late at night, said she tries to stay alert and has
checked the back seat of her car for intruders. She said she has
begun this routine after she watched a "Hart to Hart" television
episode in which a killer lurked in the back seat of cars.
"I always walk with my keys out and try to walk with friends,"
Grose said.