Many students ride their bikes to and on campus assuming if they lock them, it will prevent theft—but many times they are still stolen. 

Bike theft is still a burgeoning problem on the University of Wyoming campus and in Laramie.

According to UW Police Chief Troy Lane students who get their bikes registered have a greater chance of having their stolen bikes returned. 

According to Lane, the average number of bikes stolen during the 2010-2011 academic year was between 50 and 100 bikes. Lane said the number of stolen bikes is about average during a normal academic year. 

Lane said unlocked bikes account for at least 25 percent of stolen bikes.  Getting a good lock such as the “U-lock” is highly recommended to help prevent it from theft, he added.  

Registered bikes are easier to recover because the registration stays on a student’s record. The bike is also equipped with a decal sticker that has the serial number and all of the necessary owner information. 

Registration only costs $5 and is accessible by all police departments throughout the nation, Lane said. He has recovered stolen bikes from states such as Florida and Wisconsin because of  their registrations, he added. 

Lane said over half of the recovered bikes were a matter of convenience. He gave an example. "A bike is usually left on a neighbor’s lawn and he will subsequently call in the unclaimed bike to the UW authorities."

However, if the bike is not registered, it can be frustrating, because the police are unable to return the bikes to the rightful owners without a proper record of the bike. 

Lane said a bike is registered similarly to a car in order to resolve any theft discrepancies. 

Students seeking to register their bike can do so at anytime during the school year by visiting the UW police department. 

During the first week of classes in the fall, a booth is setup in the Union to allow students to register their bikes so they can be returned if they are ever recovered.  

Email: Jeremiah James