Simple precautions can keep
bikes out of criminal clutches
□Criminals prey on
those who do not
keep their bikes un
der lock and key
By Aaron Andrade
Emerald Contributor
University senior Maja Wolfe
woke up to the voice of her
alarmed roommate.
Her face paled as he bluntly
informod her: "Our bikes uro
gone.”
She rushed to the entrance
room and snw one bike leaning
against tho couch. Two others
wore gone, and the front door
was opon.
"I felt really violated,’' Wolfe
said. ”!t bothered me that
somoone came into tho house
whilo 1 was sleeping."
Wolfe had saved up for her
bike for several months, und
hud finally purchased it a
month ago. Now a complete
stranger was breaking it In.
Today, with a now bike paid
for partly by her insurance.
Wolfe Is extru-careful about
protection.
“I kind of believe that every
body’s going to steal it,” Wolfe
said. "I have two locks, and I
always lock it to something It
takes me about 10 minutes just
to lock and unlock my bike.”
Wolfe isn't alono. Bike theft
Is rampant in Eugene.
bach month, nearly 100 bicy
cles are reported to the Eugene
Public Safety Department as
stolen, according to a recent de
partment memorandum. That’s
1,200 bikes per year.
Tim Birr, information direc
tor for the department, said por
haps 5 percent of all stolen
bikes will bo recovered.
The prlmury reason for the
low recovery rate is that most
owners don’t know their serial
number when thoy file a report.
Birr advised bike buyers to
keep the serial number and a
thorough description of the
bike on file in case It Is stolen.
Without this information, there
Is very little chance of recov
ery.
Birr said the number of sto
lon bikes has remained relative
ly constant through the years,
but thu total valuo of stolen
bikes has increased.
“Ten years ago. they were
S120 10-speeds.” he said. "The
average bicycle on the street to
day is a more expensive biko.”
In 1991. $400,000 worth of
bicycles were reported stolen.
Birr said most stolen bikes
are dismantled within minutes
of being taken. A "new" biko is
mado out of tho parts of several
stolen ones. Tho bike is then
sold on the street or to an un
suspecting second-hand dealer.
A tjuick serial number chock*
with police when buying a
used bike will ensure that it has
not been reported stolen
Police receive tho highest
concentration of reports from
the West University neighbor
hood, closely followed by cam
pus and the downtown mall
However, "the whole city is
one big glowing hot spot.” Birr
said.
Sara Happe, of Cycle-BI Re
pairs & Cycles, said most biko
thefts happen because of care
lessness on the owner’s part.
“They take things for grant
ed, they were just gone for a
second, or they locked the bike
up overnight down on campus,
that sort of thing.” Happe said.
Huppu suggested locking the
biko in a well-lit area where
there is plenty of pedestrian ac
tivity.
Bill Randleman of the Bicy
cle Service Center recommend
ed using a "U-lock,” such as
Kryptonite, as a master lock. By
running a separate cable
through both wheels and into
the lock, and then locking the
bike’s frame to a rack with the
U-lock, the bike is as protected
as possible.
“I've nover seen anybody
demonstrate having lost a biko
with one of those U-locks prop
erly locked," Kandloman said .
Accessories such as pumps.
Clothing, jewelry and
folk art from
around the world.
F iff ft Street pmPtk Msrnet
2^6 £ V’fc Anr ?•'.
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campus off
£ U» A;*
M FOLKWAYS IMPORTS
\ \f^oxy and ^lay
\ The EMU CHILD CARE AND
4 DEVELOPMENT CENTERS have positions
2 available for teacher's aides. Teacher's
^ aides need no previous experience; must
$ have a good sense of humor, lots of enthu
^ siasm and a strong sense of commitment.
2 Call the CCDC office at 346-4384 to sched
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helmets and battery-operated
lights are also tempting to biko
thieves
"Anything that Isn't bolted
on has to go with you." Handle
man said. "You might get
lucky, but It's eventually going
to disappear, and It's going to
disappear when you need It."
Kandlemun recommended
using a loss-expensive hike for
short trips.
"It's not necessary It) ride
your $800 mountain bike to
class," he said "Most all en
thusiasts have what they call
their ’)unker’ bike "
Marj Bigelow, a lieutenant
with the University Office of
Public Safety, pointed out that
students are required to register
their bicycles with OPS. The
registration servos as a permit
and can help provide officers
with information If a bike is
stolen.
M U
•MffiTfiiWWiTiiHriwffwiiwmwiMir'ir Mmum ~ iimur
-;_
Registration begins
SEPTEMBER 23
PHOIYX'.RAPHY I
GLASS fl
W(X)DWORKING 1
CERAMICS I
FIBERS I
JEWELRY I
BIKE REPAIR I
& MORE. |
J i o»m inn. ntK MtMOKiu vnion ■
■ 1,11 m «... a—h—.m."
for more information: ,U6-4}6t ||
Hrmhurrs A> ail.iklc
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