Rise in bike thefts thefts puzzles U. police

Frank Chen was one of the lucky ones. The College and Wharton junior brought a bicycle to campus for the first time this year and took all the reasonable precautions, including buying a Kryptonite lock. But that almost wasn't enough. One Sunday afternoon while his bicycle was secured in front of the Medical School, would-be thieves sawed the lock nearly in half. Fortunately for Chen, the lock held. But others have not fared as well. University Police Detective Larry Singer, who has been with the force since 1979, said he has "never seen anything like this year" in terms of bicycle theft. Since September 1 until earlier this month, 95 bicycles have been reported stolen from students, more than double the 42 stolen during the same period last year, and over three times more than the 28 taken over the same span in 1988. Overall, 320 bicycles were reported stolen during the 1990-91 academic year -- twice as many as in 1988-89. And these numbers do not include the theft of bike parts. Singer said bike theft is a University-wide problem, though the High Rises, Williams Hall and the David Rittenhouse Laboratories seem to be hardest hit. In particular, High Rise North is a favorite target for bicycle theives. Singer surmised that perhaps the perpetrators are just too lazy to walk any further onto campus. He and Detectives Supervisor Michael Carroll said in the past, the vast majority of thefts had been of bicycles that were either unlocked or locked with a simple cable. The U-type Kryptonite locks were considered safe. However, Carroll said thieves have become more creative. Using the leverage of a metal pipe, thieves have been able to bend the tube and pop the steel U open. Carroll said some have gone as far as "unbolting railings and sliding the bikes off, Kryptonite locks and all." College freshman Ben Kaplan said he has already knows the trials and tribulations that can accompany owning a bicycle at the University. On Sunday, September 15th, Kaplan's red Peugeot was chained to a bike rack in the Quad. "I figured it was safe inside the Quad," Kaplan explained, "so I didn't lock it up like I would've if I had been off campus. I was wrong." "I do things a bit differently now," said Kaplan, "The back wheel comes off, and a Kryptonite U-Lock secures the frame and both wheels. I need this bike, and I'm not going to let anyone get another crack at it." Anti-theft practices vary greatly throughout the University. Some merely chain the bike to the rack, a post, or just about any object considered immovable. This is not advisable, according to Carroll, as all it takes is one good squeeze with a pair of hedge clippers or wire cutters and it's Gone With the Schwinn. On the other end of the spectrum is the well-locked bike. If the tires are quick-release, both are locked to the rack and the frame. If the seat is quick-release, then it can be taken off and taken with the owner. The lock recomended by University Police is the Kryptonite Mini-Rock LS, which has a wider shaft so that thieves shouldn't be able to place a pipe on the lock. The lock should always face down. For those with older Kryptonite models, Carroll suggested buying a cuff that fits around the shaft. The lock can be purchased for under $60, while the cuff costs approximately $3. Police also recommended registering your bike with them, but Singer estimated that "maybe a quarter" of bikes on campus are registered. One of the biggest problems for police is that even if they recover a bicycle, it is often impossible to find the owner. Earlier this semester, University Police held their annual bike auction, at which they sold 38 bicycles and 11 bike parts, with proceeds going to the University. All of these bicycles were ones they recovered but could not return to the owner. Because of the difficulty in locating owners, police are considering a mandatory registration of all bicycles on campus. Registered bikes, which would be engraved and stickered, would allow the police to locate owners. In addition, registration would be a deterrent to thieves because the stickers would remove paint when peeled off. When placed on a standard spot on every bike, the police would quickly recognize a stolen bicycle. Carroll explained that students need to realize that bicycles are "relatively easy to steal . . . and to sell." He then explained that police need student cooperation to curtail theft. The police are working hard on the problem, Carroll said, but they "haven't gotten a hold on it yet."

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