Department of Public Safety crime prevention officers visited several dining centers on campus during the past few weeks, registering bicycles for free and distributing information about keeping bicycles safe at Syracuse University. 

Cpl. Joe Shanley was at Ernie Davis Dining Center on Wednesday evening, ready to register bicycles. About five to six bikes were registered by DPS last week, and a few students said they would register at a later time, Shanley said. 

The information provided during registration includes the make, model and frame color of the bike, along with a serial number that is entered into a database. The bike’s wheel size and purchased price are also recorded. 

Registering a bicycle with DPS is encouraged, but not mandatory. There are no fees to the student.

If a registered bike is stolen, its owner can contact DPS and have the bicycle’s location tracked based on the registration information. In an ideal situation, the bicycle is returned to the owner. 

‘The distinctive benefit of registering bikes is that it’s a tracking mechanism for us,’ Shanley said. ‘There’s a number that will coincide with our paperwork.’ 

The registration process is repeated on a yearly basis, due to the influx of new students and community members, Shanley said.

There are a number of different locks bicyclists can use to prevent them from being stolen, but none are foolproof or unbreakable. U-bolt locks are recommended because they stay very close to the bike and the rack and are more difficult to break than looser types, according to the outdoor supply company REI’s website. Thieves are less likely to attempt breaking a properly applied U-bolt lock because they risk damage to the bike, according to the website.

DPS encourage bicyclists to lock their bikes on the racks provided throughout campus and to correctly secure the lock every time, according to the DPS website. 

Students can also register bikes at the DPS offices in Sims Hall, but DPS is visiting the dining centers to encourage students to better safeguard their bikes, Shanley said.

There is no reported increase in bicycle theft on campus this semester, but the rate increases dramatically during the summer, fall and spring, according to the DPS website. There have been 13 bike larcenies since the first day of fall classes, and DPS made an arrest for bike theft last week, said Jennifer Horvath, DPS’ public information officer, in an e-mail.

Another registration option is completing an online form through DPS, which is then processed by a crime prevention officer who will contact the student to arrange a time for the registration sticker to be picked up. Students can also stop by 005 Sims Hall every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Aside from the benefits of registering a bike, being at dining centers has been an opportunity to engage students in good conversation and hopefully address any other issues they may have, Shanley said. 

brvannos@syr.edu

Published on October 6, 2010 at 12:00 pm

Contact Breanne: brvannos@syr.edu | @bre_vann