Eight members of the U of M Bisons soccer team returned from a weekend game in Saskatchewan to find their vehicles vandalized near the university’s outdoor soccer field.
The incident occurred on Friday, Oct. 21, when the players parked their cars in a U of M parking lot before leaving for the weekend. Upon their return on Sunday, they discovered that eight vehicles had been damaged, with windows smashed and personal belongings stolen.
The U of M did not notify the families or affected students about the incident. Adding to the concern, there was reportedly no security camera coverage in the area where the vandalism occurred. The investigation is now with the Winnipeg Police.
In September, a vehicle theft was reported on the U of M’s Fort Garry campus, raising concerns about security in campus parking lots. The incident adds to broader worries about vehicle-related crimes in Winnipeg. According to the Winnipeg Police Service, 2,292 vehicle thefts were reported citywide between January and August this year. Students say they hope the university will strengthen safety measures to better protect both them and their vehicles.
Aryan Fida Nur, who typically parks after 4:30 p.m. on weekdays in Parking Lot J near the Architecture 2 Building, said he generally feels safe parking his car on campus. However, after hearing about the recent incident, he admitted to feeling less confident about leaving his vehicle unattended.
“I don’t think I can feel safe to park at night,” Nur said, adding that since there are fewer people on campus during the evenings, the university should do more to strengthen security measures.
Maham Shafique, who takes the bus to campus, said she also generally feels safe and often sees security cars around. Despite that, she mentioned she would not feel safe during winter at night.
“They do have a security safety app. I think they should promote that more,” Shafique said, adding that she only heard about the app through her employer rather than directly from the university.
Faisal Faisal, who parks on campus, said he usually sees campus security at night and believes their presence is reassuring. Still, he suggested the university should pay closer attention to students’ concerns regarding safety. He added after hearing about the recent break-ins, he no longer feels comfortable leaving his car overnight on campus.
As of now, the U of M has not issued a statement to students about the specific vandalism or confirmed whether new security measures will be implemented.
The university’s UM Safe app is designed to help students access safety resources and contact campus security, and it includes features such as walk-home options and emergency alerts
