Missing permits remain mystery

By Ana Tintocalis, On-Line Forty-Niner

Monday, January 25, 1999

Green good. Blue bad.

That is the message Parking and Transportation Services and University Police want to get across to Cal State Long Beach students planning to purchase a $63 parking permit for the new semester.

On Jan. 4th, a shipment containing approximately 9,000 blue spring 1999 parking permits was delivered to CSULB from a company located in Utah named Moore Business Communications.

When parking officials opened one of the boxes, they discovered 561 blue decals were missing.

"The box was not sealed as it normally is when a shipment arrives," University Police Lt. Judith King said. "The box had obviously been tampered with. It's possible that the box could have been damaged during the delivery of the shipment."

University Police is conducting an investigation, but it is still unknown where the permits are or if someone stole them.

King said as a precaution, Parking and Transportation Services reordered another 9,000 parking permits in a different color - green - to prevent any individuals from using or selling the blue decals at a cheaper price.

University officials warn students these green decals will be the only valid parking permits for the spring semester.

"Any student who is caught with a blue decal on their windshield will receive a citation on their car," King said.

In addition to issuing a citation, officials will place a lock -also known as a boot - on the vehicle's tire to prevent it from moving.

King said in order to have the boot removed, the owner will have to report to University Police headquarters and explain where and who he or she got the blue parking permit from.

Although reordering 9,000 more permits in a different color was an inconvenience, parking officials say they addressed the problem before any blue decals were distributed to students.

"Students should have already received their green parking permits in the mail," Field Services Operation Manager Alan Moore said. "There should be no problems when the first week of the semester begins."

King said students who still need to buy their permit are advised to purchase the decals at two locations on campus: the Parking and Transportation Services or Brotman Hall.

"We just want to get the message out there because we don't want to see any students get victimized," King said.

If a student is approached by a solicitor selling blue spring 1999 parking permits, or knows more information about the missing decals, contact University Police at (562) 985-4101, or Parking and Transportation Services at (562) 985-4146.