Raul Cabral
News Editor
Tin an effort to curb bicycle thefts that have
plagued the campus in the past, the PCC
Police Department has begun to install new
and more secure bike racks across the campus.
The main hub is located in front of the T
building on the east side of campus (adjacent
to the PCC Police Department) and is ready
for immediate use.
“What we’re trying to do is introduce a
crime prevention method and attempting a
careful balance between convenience and safe¬
ty,” said PCC Chief of Police Peter Michael.
“We want potential thieves to second-guess
what they are about to do.”
The racks, which will cost approximately
$10,000 to install according Peter Benson,
transportation assistant allow students to
secure their bicycle from the frame instead of
the wheel.
Named “the bicycle compound” by Michael
and Transportation Assistant Peter Benson,
the area has been deemed more secure not
only because of the new racks themselves, but
also because of their location. In addition to
being next to the police department, they are
in an area that sees a heavy amount of foot
traffic every day, something Michael and Ben¬
son carefully considered when examining
potential sites.
According to campus police, 32 bicycles
were stolen in 2003, 23 in 2004, and 26 in
2005. The FBI reported that 290,000 bikes
were stolen nationwide in 2001 , resulting in an
Richard Quinton
/
Courier
Students continue to lock their bikes on the old racks even though the new ones have been installed.
estimated $92.3 million in losses.
Plans to install a video monitoring system in
the area are under way. “The cameras installed
in the bicycle compound will be used as a test
zone for new measures being taken by the
police department to increase student security
on campus,” said Benson. “We are also look¬
ing into the possibility of installing smart cam¬
eras down the line, which follow any bikes
coming into and leaving the bike area.”
See page 3
The Scene
Goes East
Page 6-7
Staring at
Another Win
Page 8
Students’
Money Put
to Good
Wse
Pasadena, page 4
CityCollege
The Independent Student Voice of PCC, Serving Pasadena Since 1915
Volume 95, Issue 2
Pasadena City • College
Unhappy Customers
Jesus Gomez
/
Courier
There was a disturbance at Sexson Auditorium Saturday night, when an event was overbooked. An inter¬
preter tells the customers their money will be refunded. The Pasadena Police was also called to calm
down the unruly crowd.
See page 3
Campus Police
Unveils Plan to
Deter Crime
Cadet’s Life
Threatened
Raul Cabral
News Editor
A male suspect driving a white Chevy
pickup truck led Glendale Police and
campus authorities on a high-speed pur¬
suit spanning two freeways after threat¬
ening to kill a PCC Cadet last Wednes¬
day.
The man entered parking Lot 4 at
approximately 9:30 p.m. driving at a
high rate of speed, he headed for a
police smart cart carrying two cadets
and almost collided into them. He then
stopped the truck at an angle in front of
the cart, blocking its path.
Using his right hand to simulate a
handgun, the suspect shouted, “I’m
going to shoot you and kill you” to the
parking enforcement cadet as he
stepped out of the pickup and
approached him.
The suspect returned to the vehicle,
and when it became apparent that he
was searching for something under the
driver’s seat, presumably a gun, the
cadet requested backup, which failed to
arrive before he fled.
The Pasadena Police Department was
contacted but they were unable to
respond because the vehicle was out of
their jurisdiction. “We just couldn’t get
the support we needed in time,” Said Lt.
Brad Young. “We’ve been hoping to
arrest somebody but that hasn’t yet
come together.”
Campus police officer Jose Arechiga
surreptitiously followed the vehicle as it
jumped westbound on the 210 freeway
and then merged westbound onto the
134 toward Glendale. He did not acti¬
vate the patrol car’s siren. “We’re not
gonna light this guy up when he may
have a gun and we know we don’t,” said
Young.
Glendale Police Department stepped
in and had eight patrol cars in pursuit,
but eventually they lost the suspect on
surface streets. Heavy fog over the city
prevented authorities from using a heli¬
copter.
“We’ve been working on this case for
the last five days, pretty much non¬
stop,” said Lt. Young.