A masked man stole approximately $300 at gunpoint from the Gilman Information Booth, the third armed robbery at a campus parking kiosk in less than two months.
Officers at the UCSD Police Department said they believe the same man, possibly a campus affiliate, is responsible for the crimes.
“We haven’t had a series of armed robberies like this one at UCSD in the 24 years that I’ve been here,” Sgt. Bob Jones said. “We’re concerned, obviously, for the safety of our employees here at UCSD, because this guy is using a weapon. That’s a very serious situation.”
The description of the perpetrator in the most recent robbery, which took place at 8:20 p.m. on Jan. 14, matched that of the earlier crimes, Jones said. The parking attendant described the man as 5 feet 10 inches tall and wearing a hooded sweatshirt and gloves. As in the previous thefts, clothing concealed the man’s facial features, though this time the man wore a skeleton mask. Witnesses of the first two robberies described the man as wearing a bandanna and scarf.
In the two previous parking booth robberies on Dec. 8 and Jan. 5 at Thornton Hospital and North Campus, attendants reported a total theft of approximately $1,000. No other witnesses were present for any of the incidents.
If convicted on all three counts, the suspect may face up to 15 years in prison, in accordance with the California Penal Code. The use of a weapon may extend the sentence past 20 years, Jones said.
“That’s what he faces when we catch him, and we will catch him,” he said.
Over time, more information about the suspect is likely to surface, according to Jones.
“Every time he commits a crime — every time there is another incident — we gather more information and collect more leads, which will lead us to his eventual identity,” Jones said. “It’s been my experience in the 33 years that I’ve been in law enforcement that, over a period of time, criminals share with other people their exploits. It’s human nature: You want to share with others that which you have done.”
Though he would not discuss specific steps the department is taking as part of the investigation, Jones said it could coordinate with the San Diego Police Department.
“It’s certainly most important that people recognize the reality that, when you come onto a UC campus, you’re not on some free, safe zone that’s immune to criminal behavior,” he said, urging students to remain vigilant. “People always have to be, to a degree, on guard and aware of their surroundings. Should they be in a location and a time where they are able to notice a criminal act, they need to get to a place of safety and report it immediately.”
Tips can be reported to the department’s investigation bureau by calling (858) 534-0445.
