Bicycle thefts in Bloomington spike when students return to campus every fall, but this year Indiana University police say they’ve had more bikes reported stolen than usual.
IU Police Department Deputy Chief Shannon Bunger said one of the reasons for the increase in bike thefts could simply be an uptick in reports.
“There [sic] is a lot of people that don’t report their bikes stolen," he said. "They could have a $50 Huffy from the Target or the K-Marts or the Walmarts of the world, and if it gets stolen, they don’t really care about it and so they don’t even call us and report it.”
Bunger said most of the thefts are happening around residence halls, particularly in the neighborhood near Teter and Wright quads.
The best way to prevent your bike from getting stolen is to properly lock it. Bunger said investing in a sturdy U-lock and attaching the lock to more than just the front tire of the bicycle is key to deterring thieves.
Bunger also said bikes registered with the university are more likely to be found and returned. Bikes parked on campus are required to be registered, which can be done online.
