Posted 8:19 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, 2013
Bike theft is the No. 1 reported crime on the UW-La Crosse campus — a statistic that has prompted a UW-L police officer to launch a bike theft prevention program this fall.
[caption id="attachment_26707" align="alignright" width="550"]
Officer Dave Pehl is launching a bike theft prevention program on campus this fall.[/caption]
Bike theft is the No. 1 reported crime on the UW-La Crosse campus — a statistic that has prompted a UW-L police officer to launch a bike theft prevention program this fall.
“I hope we can reduce the amount of thefts on campus,” says Officer Dave Pehl who is starting the program. “It’s one less thing that our students will have to worry about.”
Nearly 300 bikes have been stolen on campus in the last five years, notes Pehl. He is now directing the campus community to a series of resources online to prevent more. At the UW-L Police Services bike theft prevention website he aims to have all members of the campus community who bike to school, register their bikes. Pehl says the department has recovered many stolen bikes that can’t be returned to owners because they are not registered. The online registration form takes a about a minute to fill out and is free, notes Pehl.
The website also provides information on how students, faculty and staff can better secure their bikes. Pehl recommends a hardened steel U Lock and potentially using another cord lock to wrap through the wheels for additional security.
“A lot these times people are taking a $500 bike to school and locking it up with $10 lock,” he says. “These are the types of bikes that are getting stolen.”
Pehl is working with the Office of Residence Life to place notes on bikes around campus that are not properly locked up — along with a card offering a discount on locks at three local bike shops — Smith’s Cycling & Fitness, Bikes Limited or River Trail Cycles in Holmen.
Visit the Police Services bike theft prevention and registration website.
Learn more about bike safety.
Officer Dave Pehl is launching a bike theft prevention program on campus this fall.[/caption]
Bike theft is the No. 1 reported crime on the UW-La Crosse campus — a statistic that has prompted a UW-L police officer to launch a bike theft prevention program this fall.
“I hope we can reduce the amount of thefts on campus,” says Officer Dave Pehl who is starting the program. “It’s one less thing that our students will have to worry about.”
Nearly 300 bikes have been stolen on campus in the last five years, notes Pehl. He is now directing the campus community to a series of resources online to prevent more. At the UW-L Police Services bike theft prevention website he aims to have all members of the campus community who bike to school, register their bikes. Pehl says the department has recovered many stolen bikes that can’t be returned to owners because they are not registered. The online registration form takes a about a minute to fill out and is free, notes Pehl.
The website also provides information on how students, faculty and staff can better secure their bikes. Pehl recommends a hardened steel U Lock and potentially using another cord lock to wrap through the wheels for additional security.
“A lot these times people are taking a $500 bike to school and locking it up with $10 lock,” he says. “These are the types of bikes that are getting stolen.”
Pehl is working with the Office of Residence Life to place notes on bikes around campus that are not properly locked up — along with a card offering a discount on locks at three local bike shops — Smith’s Cycling & Fitness, Bikes Limited or River Trail Cycles in Holmen.
Visit the Police Services bike theft prevention and registration website.
Learn more about bike safety.