Video by Brynn Carman
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Bike theft is the number one crime at Colorado State University, but is at at historic low this year so far.
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In 2013, 177 bike thefts were reported on campus, while in 2014, only 55 bike thefts have been reported so far.
According to the most recent data on reported bike thefts and recoveries, numbers are lower than previous years. In August 2013, 17 bikes were reported stolen, and of those, three were recovered. In August 2014, six bikes were reported as stolen, and one was recovered and returned to the student.
Rachel Inman, a senior hospitality management major, had her bike stolen off campus at the beginning of the 2013 fall semester.
According to Inman, her bike was returned to her because it was registered through CSUPD.
“It was a very quick process that only lasted about 20 minutes,” Inman said.
Inman said she received a phone call from someone claiming the bike was in her yard.
“She was able to look me up on CSUPD’s website and found my information,” Inman said.
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According to CSUPD, it is important, and required, for students to register their bikes because if it is registered, the serial numbers will be entered into the local and national crime information, allowing CSUPD to return the bike if it is found.
“It is always a great idea to park your bicycle in a well-lit area,” stated Sergeant Adam Smith and Joy Childress of CSUPD in the email to the Collegian. “Always use a U-lock and make sure the frame is locked to the rack. If at all possible, avoid locking your bike up overnight in the academic areas on campus.”
There are other options for preventing bike theft. Michael Ahdoot, an alumnus of the University of Southern California, is the co-founder of Nutlock, an up and coming product intended to help protect bike wheels from getting stolen.
“Nutlock replaces the bolts on the wheels to secure the wheels,” Ahdoot said. “It is a one-time installation, but you still need to lock up your actual bike.”
According to Ahdoot, the Nutlock will make it easier for students because they will not have to carry as much around to protect their bikes, but the bikes will still be protected.
“Having to use multiple locks is time consuming and it’s annoying,” Ahdoot said.
Collegian Reporter Megan Fischer can be reached at news@collegian.com and on Twitter @MegFischer04.
