Call it the revenge of the booted.

University of Georgia police are warning students they could face serious consequences for stealing parking boots -- the wheel locks that police place on the vehicles of traffic scofflaws.

The Athens Banner-Herald quotes Police Chief Jimmy Williamson as saying that such incidents are occurring on a regular basis and students may not realize how serious the offense is -- it's a felony.

Instead of merely paying a fine, the charge is elevated to interference with government property, which is punishable by up to five years in prison, Williamson told the Banner-Herald.

He said the problem seems to be increasing this semester, with at least four such incidents so far.

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Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez