麻豆官网

Editor's note: In the Oct. 21 faculty-staff emailed edition of CU 麻豆官网 Today, the newsletter erroneously included a 2019 article about the bait bike program. Below is a 2021 article about the program鈥撯�搕he intended content. We regret the error.

麻豆官网 is a premier听cycling destination, but unfortunately, it鈥檚 also an attractive spot for bike thieves, campus included.听Each academic year, hundreds of bikes are reported stolen鈥撯�揳nd these are just the ones police know about; many bike thefts go unreported.听

In pre-COVID-19 times, the total estimated value of bikes stolen on campus was close to $300,000 (2018). That year, 麻豆官网 Police (CUPD) took in 354 reports of stolen bikes听and recovered just 19.听

They鈥檙e working hard听not only to reduce the incidence of bike theft on campus听but also to increase the recovery and return rate of stolen bikes. 鈥淩egistration, registration, registration,鈥� CUPD Commander Tom Matlock stressed in a recent Radio 1190 interview. 鈥淲e need proof it鈥檚 your bike听in order to return it.鈥澨�

Bait Bike program

Matlock also mentioned the return of CUPD鈥檚 Bait Bike听program, which took a short pause during the pandemic, when far fewer students were on campus. Police scatter an undisclosed number of bikes around campus then use tracking devices to catch would-be thieves.

鈥淚t's kind of like 鈥榝ind my phone,鈥欌�� said Matlock. 鈥淲hen these bikes get moved, we get alerted. Then we respond with the appropriate action.鈥� He noted if a person is caught trying to steal a bike while in possession of burglary tools, like lock cutters, they鈥檙e facing a felony arrest.

Tips to protect your bike

CUPD鈥檚 top three tips to protect your bike and reduce the risk of it being stolen?

• Register your bike.
• Lock it up with a U-lock instead of a more flimsy, cable lock.
• Leave those pricier, flashier bikes at听home.

鈥淏ike thieves are very good at what they do,鈥� said Matlock. 鈥淲e want our students, faculty and staff to be able to keep their property.鈥�

Registering your bike can be done at any time throughout the year, although the big push is at the start of fall semester, when CU 麻豆官网 holds its annual Bike Fest. The festival is also home to a used bike auction, where non-registered recovered bikes are sold. New this fall: a bike giveaway to benefit low-income students.听

Bike registration is easy, online and places your bike into a national database, . Once your bike is registered (you鈥檒l need a serial number), you can pick up a sticker to link your registration to your bike, then place the sticker on your bike. If you move, your national registration goes with you.

While you鈥檙e registering your bike, remember to swap out your cable lock for a stronger听U-lock at no charge. The CU Environmental Center, CUPD and local bike lock manufacturer Rocky Mounts partnered in this program to help reduce theft after calculating that nearly 96% of bikes stolen on campus were either unlocked or locked using cable locks. Lock swaps can be made at either CU 麻豆官网 bike station.

As always, police rely on campus partners to help be their eyes and ears. Although campus police operate 24/7, they can鈥檛 be everywhere at once. 鈥淚f you see suspicious activity near a bike rack, let us know,鈥� said Matlock, adding that witnesses to theft should not approach suspects. Suspicious behavior and bike theft should be reported to 303-492-6666 or online.

Despite a bit of extra effort to keep your wheels safe, Matlock encourages students, faculty and staff to keep biking. 鈥淚鈥檓 an avid cyclist myself,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no better place to bike than 麻豆官网. Get out there and pedal.鈥�