With most students unexpectedly moving out of the residence halls and the shift to remote work and learning, the campus had a large number of unsecured bikes left behind this semester. Unsecured bikes, combined with a noticed increase in bike thefts, led the CU Boulder Police Department to partner with the CU Environmental Center on a new community engagement project.
Under the direction of Commander Mark Heyart, CUPD patrol officers are working to remove bicycles that appear to be abandoned. More than 80 bikes have been found unsecured.
“By removing these bikes and putting them into storage, we are helping to better secure our campus and prevent crime,” said Heyart. “Unsecured bikes are an invitation for crimes to be committed on campus.”
Officers are recording the make, model, color and serial numbers of the bikes and keeping them in a secure storage facility. If you find your bike is missing when it’s time to return to campus, be sure to file a report online so we can know if your bike is in storage or if it was stolen.
The next step of the program is to round up bikes that have parts missing.
When it’s time to return to campus, be sure to register your bike. This free service allows CUPD to reunite you with your bike if it is stolen. Plus, the owner of a registered bike is eligible to several benefits through the campus bike stations.
