Ruin at the Redwoods

For a group of Saint Mary's students on October 6, 2021, the redwoods brought ruin as they returned back to Saint Marys issued Vans to find the windows smashed and personal belongings gone

By Anonymous Contributor

The Redwood Groves located at the base of the Oakland Hills, just past the exit from Moraga, bring hikers and outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy the tree's beauty and stature. However, what visitors don't expect is to return back to their cars to notice the windows smashed and all belongings of value missing. 

In the afternoon on October 6th, a semi-large group of students ventured out for an activity in Saint Mary’s issued vans, leaving them parked in an open lot, locked, and seemingly safe. In a matter of what was recorded to be an hour, unknown individuals managed to smash the windows and rifle through their belongings, stealing phones, laptops, wallets, keys, and even passports. During this ravaging, there was only one witness. 

Alone in the van, a young Saint Mary's student recalled seeing the two individuals start in on the first van and then look up to notice her watching. Startled, she grabbed her phone and ran away, a necessary tactic to avoid a more dire situation. Upon return to the vans with the group, individuals reported confusion on what had happened, and what to do next. Maintaining composure, they made it to a nearby fire station, where they received help to clean the glass out and reach the police. 

Upon communicating with the police, the resourceful group members began using saved phones to track the stolen ones to help with an eventual discovery of their belongings. Distraught, the students returned to campus hopeful that the police were doing all they could to find the missing stuff. 

As of the morning of October 7th, the individual's belongings had been found in a dumpster in Oakland by an anonymous person. Electronics and other devices were still missing, but multiple IDs and keys were recovered with backpacks and other valuables. As of now, there is an active investigation and all those involved are alert and working. 

Thank you to all who contributed to this article