CU has experienced an exponential increase in bike thefts over the past calendar year suggesting the existence of a bike crime ring in Boulder. (CU Independent/Patrick Ghidossi)
Between Aug. and Dec. 2009, there were less than 60 reported bike thefts on campus, said CUPD Commander Tim McGraw.
By Dec. of 2010, there were already more than 200 reported thefts at CU, an increase of over 200 percent.
“The number of thefts are indicative of more formalized theft,” McGraw said. “Something akin to a ring of people that are stealing bikes or somebody who is stealing bikes repeatedly.”
McGraw said he believes that someone who has professional motivations steals bikes and resells them or scraps them in order to make money, as opposed to a thief who steals a bike simply because he or she is in need of a new one.
Kylie Craig, a 19-year-old freshman chemistry major, said she has had her bike stolen twice, despite keeping it chained to a bicycle rack outside of her dorm in Kittredge.
“It is so ridiculous that stuff like this keeps happening,” Craig said. “I can never imagine taking someone’s bike, I would never do something like that.”
CUPD has made three major arrests during the fall semester and in each, those arrested had multiple bicycles in their homes or storage lockers, McGraw said. In the latest arrest, they recovered around 15 to 17 bikes.
James Larock, an 18-year-old freshman political science major, said he rides his bike to school often, but has not had it stolen. Larock said he uses a U-lock in order to ensure that his bike is protected.
“Getting my bike stolen would be really frustrating but it would not cost me too much,” Larock said. “It is a more of a psychological burden to know that somebody can take your bike.”
McGraw said money is the main motivation behind professional bike theft. The most common reason that bikes are stolen is so they can be swapped for parts or sold again on the Internet.
According to a CUPD pamphlet on bike theft, the CUPD recommends various precautions in order to prevent bike theft: that a person use two locks, a U-lock and a chain lock, around the frame and through both the wheel and the parking rack.
The pamphlet also recommends reporting bike theft because this increases the chance of recovery.
“We are certainly maintaining the level of focus that we can on bike racks,” McGraw said.
He added that some stolen bikes are never returned to their student owners in spite of police efforts.
“I don’t know what I would do if my bike was stolen,” Larock said. “All I could really do is wring my hands and complain about human nature.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Chelsea Barrett at Chelsea.barrett@colorado.edu
