In this college town, drinking and partying is as much a part of life for some as waking up and finding the window of one’s car smashed.

Twelve cars were vandalized over Spring break and this past weekend produced five more incidents.

Even with the DeKalb police patrolling the community, people are still vandalizing parked cars all over town.

“When all the vandalizing is happening, it’s at the same time officers are dealing with bar fights, domestic disputes and other liquor-related situations around town,” said DeKalb Police Lt. Jim Kayes.

Citizens cannot rely on the 15 police officers out on patrol to see everything that happens in DeKalb, he said. They need to take the initiative and call the police.

Pinpointing the people responsible for vandalizing cars late at night is very difficult, Kayes said.

“Car vandalism is cyclical,” he said. “All it takes is one guy who wants to wreck a car and 10 cars can get hit in a night.”

Also, most incidents of car vandalism probably involve alcohol, Kayes said.

But if cars keep getting vandalized and the victims claim insurance, the insurance companies could be adversely affected.

If insurance companies receive an increased amount of insurance claims, their policy rates could go up, said Missy Lundberg, media specialist for State Farm Insurance Companies.

Pat Carone, a junior criminology major and Nick Fratto, a junior business major said they have not seen or heard anybody vandalizing cars around their residence.

Carone and Fratto live near Campus Cinemas, 1015 Blackhawk Road, where several cars were vandalized between 10 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday.

One car was broken into the weekend before Spring break and a couple of cars have been keyed previously in the parking lot behind his house, Carone said.

“I think it’s disheartening to know we are living around people like that,” Fratto said.