Penn Police have seen a spike in bicycle thefts so far this school year, but say it is a trend also seen at the start of previous years.
The vast majority of bikes that are stolen near campus -- as at least 15 to 20 have been so far this year, by police estimates -- are either unlocked or locked with a cable. Owners must use these locks properly for them to be effective, Penn Police Patrol Captain Joseph Fischer said. This means putting the lock through the frame of the bike, not through a wheel or around a seat post.
Officials say they are taking steps to prevent theft as well as to improve the prospect of recovering stolen bikes.
The first step toward theft-prevention is a survey of the more than 100 bike racks that dot the campus and surrounding areas.
Police are trying to ensure that racks are in good condition so that riders will have a place to lock their bikes. Also, police have identified especially problematic racks from which many bikes are taken -- such as those near the high rise dormitories and around Huntsman Hall.
Uniformed and plainclothes officers are assigned to monitor the racks for suspicious activity. Security cameras are trained on many on-campus racks, and personnel are assigned to watch the footage as it is taken so that they can notify nearby officers of suspicious activity.
Conversely, an on-site officer can ask monitors to watch a certain person so that the uniformed police can retreat and avoid alerting a potential thief. As soon as the thief takes the bike, officers can move in for an arrest.
Officers have also noticed that many riders either use inferior locks or do not employ their locks properly.
Fischer emphasized that "if you put a cable lock on a bike, you might as well not put one on at all. It's a waste of time and money."
Thieves, he said, can defeat cable locks discreetly and in a matter of seconds using common tools. Instead, Fischer said, bikers should use "U"-style locks or, ideally, thick, chain-link "New York" locks.
A determined thief can still defeat these locks, but it is more difficult to do without attracting attention, Fischer said.
The officers who are assigned to problematic bike racks leave "theft-awareness notices" on improperly secured bikes -- bikes that are left unlocked, improperly locked or locked with a cable -- to inform owners of the dangers. These messages are discreet so as not to alert potential thieves to the opportunity.
Police also left messages late this summer on any bike locked on the porch of a residence. Such bikes are easy to steal because they are not highly visible and are often locked to railings or posts that are not sturdy. Police are now seeing far fewer bikes locked on porches -- owners seem to be taking them inside.
In addition to preventing thefts, police are working to help victims recover stolen bikes.
Riders can cooperate by registering bikes at the police station at 4040 Chestnut St. Additional registration opportunities will be available in college houses in the coming week and on-site near bike racks.
At the police station, there is a locker containing about a dozen recovered bikes, but detectives cannot locate their owners.
In the future, the bike-registration process could become even easier -- through Campus Express Online. By the beginning of next school year, police hope that freshmen will register bikes before they even arrive on campus. Police plan to alert the new students to the need when they first enroll.
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