Bicycles are a popular mode of transportation for OU students. For some students their bike is the only way to get to class. However, bicycle thefts and vandalism are common on campus.

International student Satoshi Yamashita said he recently rode his BMX bike to class, as he does every day. He locked the bike to the bike rack between Dale Hall and Copeland Hall with a cable lock. When he returned from class, the bicycle was gone.

He said he is not sure if he will replace the bicycle, because his visit as an exchange student will be over next semester. Also, purchasing a new bike is expensive, he said.

Yamashita said bicycle theft on campus is not an uncommon incident. One of his friends just recently got his bicycle stolen on campus.

In fact, there are a number of students with the same problem. Last year, the OU Department for Public Safety received 49 reports of stolen bicycles, said Lt. Bruce Chan. That works out to about four per month. However, the number reflects only those thefts that were reported.

Chan said the chances are slim that a bike will be recovered. He said the police retrieve one bike every four to six weeks, however, often these bikes are not even reported at OUDPS.

Robert Hickey, manager of Miller's Cycling and Fitness Center on Campus Corner, said once the bike is stolen there is not much that can be done. There are no license tags or insurance for bikes. Hickey said the only way to identify a bike is the serial number. However, most owners do not even know it. Many people do not take the time to write it down or send the warranty card to the manufacturer, who then catalogs the bike.

Hickey said there are other ways to protect your bike. At OUDPS, students can register their bike. Students receive a sticker they can put on the bike.

Chan said the sticker helps to identify the bike, but may also deter the thief from taking it in the first place.

Hickey said students can register their bike in a national database, so if a bike turns up in another state the owner will be notified. The service is available at bicycle stores.

Hickey said there is a market for stolen bikes.

"People are much more likely to buy a stolen bike than a stolen car," he said.

A problem at OU is that students don't lock their bikes properly and use cheap locks, Hickey said.

Chan said U-bolt locks are best. Also, he advised to lock the bike to a bicycle rack and lock the frame and tire.

It is also smart to stick by the bicycle racks, Chan said. Sometimes students believe their bike was stolen, but instead it was impounded. Illegal parking has consequences for bicyclists, as well. Physical Plant and OUDPS impound bicycles that are locked to trees, ramps or buildings, Chan said.


For more information about the OU Police Department, go to www.ou.edu/oupd.
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