Students at Emory are not taking proper measures to protect their bicycles, according to the Emory Police Department (EPD).
Last year, 73 bikes were stolen on campus. The number has been consistent over the years.
Since then, EPD have implemented Operation ID and continued to make suggestions to help keep student property safe at Emory.
In an interview with the Wheel, Sgt. Rick Allen discussed two preventative measures that would assist students in protecting their bikes.
Allen explained that most students on campus use a cable lock to connect their bike to the rack.
He noted that although the locks may appear durable, all cable locks are actually vulnerable to being easily cut.
Allen insisted that students utilize a U-Lock to connect their bikes to the rack. Unlike a typical cable lock, a U-Lock is typically made with a reinforcing bar that can resist prying tools.
Allen also suggested that students should register their property through the Emory stolen property recovery initiative called Operation ID.
Operation ID asks students to register their property with the Emory police department and provides them a decal to put on their bike for identification.
By providing officers with a bike's serial number, officers can enter your property into a national theft database if the property is stolen.
Allen explained that if a thief were to try to pawn a stolen bike that was registered through Operation ID at a pawnshop the store must first ensure the bike is not stolen.
If the bike were registered in the national theft database, officers would be notified and the property could be recovered.
Officers explained that because most students do not utilize Operation ID, only one of the 73 stolen bikes was recovered.
EPD have tried to assist the student body by conducting bike theft sting operations throughout the campus, although Allen admits that they have not been successful.
"We were never in the right place at the right time," Allen said.
If a student would like to register your property with Operation ID, you must bring the items you would like to register to the Emory Police Department located at 1784 North Decatur Road.
– Contact Dustin Slade at
dustin.slade@emory.edu
