The IU Police Department has been using “bait bikes” to catch bicycle thieves on campus.
The bikes are placed around campus and equipped with GPS tracking. They’re meant to blend in with other bikes on campus and are regularly replaced.
IU Public Safety officer Hannah Cornett said eight arrests have been made in connection with the bait bikes over the two years they’ve been in use – four at IU Bloomington and four at IU Indianapolis.
“As soon as somebody picks up one of our bikes and starts moving with it, our dispatch center will get an alert that a bike is on the move,” Cornett said. “So our officers can follow that GPS ping and we can help hold that person accountable.”
Cornett recommends that bicyclists use U-locks over chain locks to secure their bikes.
U-locks can be picked up for free at the IU Police Department.
