By Chris Cunningham
The Scene staff
A gutsy thief stole a car from Parking Lot C in the middle of the afternoon on the Wednesday before classes started for spring semester.
Thomas Kitchen, 58, told Forest Park police that he was approaching his beige 2001 Buick LeSabre on foot when he heard the engine start and saw a black male with a red skull cap drive it away.
“Somebody took it off the lot five minutes ago,” he told Officer Terri Buford about 2 p.m. on Jan. 14. “It’s an old car, too.”
Kitchen reported that he had locked the car and left his checkbook and other paperwork on the front seat.
It’s not known whether Kitchen was a visitor on campus or a student registering for classes. He declined further comment.
Forest Park turned the case over to St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department the same day.
“There have been no arrests made in connection with this incident,” said Public Information Specialist Leah Freeman on Feb. 13. “The investigation is ongoing.”
Forest Park Police Chief Richard Banahan estimates that seven to 10 cars have been stolen from campus in the past 10 years.
He suggests students, staff and faculty lock their cars and park them under lights in visible locations to help avoid thefts.
“You can’t stop someone from stealing your car if they want to,” Banahan said. “Our objective is to make it harder to steal.
“If you are very careful, nothing will probably happen.”