Bicycle thefts on campus rise this fall
Alicia Johnson
Issue date: 10/27/09 Section: News
Forty four bikes have been stolen on campus since the fall semester began, said a University Police Department officer.
Sgt. Michael Santos said there has been a total of 83 bike thefts on the campus since January.
"We are already more than half of what last semester's total was," he said. "It is definitely an increase."
Anthony Mitchell, a freshman business administration major, said thieves also steal individual bike parts.
"I see a lot of bikes with missing front tires or seats," he said. "That sucks. I take off my seat and I wire my chain through both tires."
Santos said more bikes are stolen during warmer seasons such as fall because more people are riding them.
During the summer and winter months fewer bikes are stolen because there are not many of them on campus.
"Bad guys are going after easy targets," he said.
Bikes should be secured in appropriate racks and cages, but are often found bound unsecured to light posts and handrails for a student's convenience, Santos said.
Santos said all of the bike thefts involved bikes that were secured with cable or chain locks, and that none of the bikes stolen had u-locks.
"A cable or chain lock can be defeated in less than 30 seconds, a u-lock takes a lot more effort and a lot more time and bigger tools."
Santos said u-locks cannot be secured on light posts and require a specific type of rack in order to be effective.
"It's a little bit more inconvenient, but you're going to keep you bike," he said.
Santos said UPD recently arrested suspects who attempted to steal bikes, and said they were not SJSU students.
Santos advised students to make note of their bike's serial number and said knowing the make and the model is not enough information to track it down if stolen.
Also, if a suspect is caught with an allegedly stolen bike, there is no other way to prove that it is stolen.
"Typically they're from off campus," Santos said. "This is an open university, and people know that the community rides bikes,"
Sgt. Michael Santos said there has been a total of 83 bike thefts on the campus since January.
"We are already more than half of what last semester's total was," he said. "It is definitely an increase."
Anthony Mitchell, a freshman business administration major, said thieves also steal individual bike parts.
"I see a lot of bikes with missing front tires or seats," he said. "That sucks. I take off my seat and I wire my chain through both tires."
Santos said more bikes are stolen during warmer seasons such as fall because more people are riding them.
During the summer and winter months fewer bikes are stolen because there are not many of them on campus.
"Bad guys are going after easy targets," he said.
Bikes should be secured in appropriate racks and cages, but are often found bound unsecured to light posts and handrails for a student's convenience, Santos said.
Santos said all of the bike thefts involved bikes that were secured with cable or chain locks, and that none of the bikes stolen had u-locks.
"A cable or chain lock can be defeated in less than 30 seconds, a u-lock takes a lot more effort and a lot more time and bigger tools."
Santos said u-locks cannot be secured on light posts and require a specific type of rack in order to be effective.
"It's a little bit more inconvenient, but you're going to keep you bike," he said.
Santos said UPD recently arrested suspects who attempted to steal bikes, and said they were not SJSU students.
Santos advised students to make note of their bike's serial number and said knowing the make and the model is not enough information to track it down if stolen.
Also, if a suspect is caught with an allegedly stolen bike, there is no other way to prove that it is stolen.
"Typically they're from off campus," Santos said. "This is an open university, and people know that the community rides bikes,"
Be the first to comment on this story