Timely Warning – Motor Vehicle Theft (Recent categorization of e-scooters and e-bicycles as Motor Vehicles)
On February 23, 2022 at approximately 6:50 pm, the UC San Diego Police Department received a report of a theft of an e-scooter in progress at the UC San Diego Health La Jolla Trolley Platform. Officers responded to the area and arrested the suspect.
Between January 01, 2022, and February 23, 2022, numerous property-related crimes including e-scooter and e-bicycle (motor vehicles) thefts were reported to the UC San Diego Police Department from various areas on the campus, generally spanning the entire campus.
We have open consideration that multiple suspects are likely involved and with the proliferation of e-mobility devices coupled with enhanced access to campus are contributing factors. While a suspect was arrested in this recent case, other suspects have not been apprehended and investigations are ongoing.
If you have information that could be helpful in this investigation, please contact the UC San Diego Police Department at (858) 534-4357 or send an email to detective@ucsd.edu.
The remainder of this email provides general information about preventing and reporting e-mobility devices (motor vehicle) theft and is not necessarily related to any specific incident.
If you witness suspicious activity or the theft of an e-mobility device (motor vehicle) in progress:
Contact the UC San Diego Police Department immediately by calling 9-1-1 and be prepared to provide the following:
Location
Suspect description, including clothing
Suspect direction of travel
Anything the suspect is carrying (tools, weapons)
Description of e-mobility device
If you are the victim of an e-mobility device (motor vehicle) theft:
Contact the UC San Diego Police Department by calling (858) 534-4357 and be prepared to provide the following:
Vehicle year, make, model and color;
Date, time, location you last saw your e-mobility device (vehicle);
Date and time you discovered your e-mobility device (vehicle) missing; and
Advise if you subscribe to a e-mobility device (vehicle) tracking service, such as AirTag or similar device.
Consider contacting confidential campus support resources:
UC San Diego Health Sciences benefits-eligible faculty and staff – visit Liveandworkwell operated by Optum/United Behavioral Health and (866) 808-6205 (use company code UCSDMC).
General safety considerations to prevent a e-mobility device (motor vehicle) theft:
Always lock your e-mobility device (vehicle).
Park in busy, well-lit areas. Pick a parking spot where there is a lot of activity. Thieves prefer stealing e-mobility devices from isolated areas. HDH offers Bike Lockers at multiple locations across Campus: https://hdh.ucsd.edu/gettingaround.html.
