Multiple bike thefts on campus cause extra precaution

Recently, there has been a high number of reports filed for stolen bikes at Palomar.

Signs have beem posted throughout campus where students leave their bikes, warning students to lock them up.

“Bike theft is a common problem that all campuses have,” Campus Police Sgt. Michael Maines said. “We are aggressively going after it.”

He added that bike theft is a theft of opportunity based upon people’s changing situations, such as someone’s car breaking down or not having a ride home.

“People look for bikes that have weak locks or have not been locked up,” Maines explained.

The sign posted by the MD Building was created as an effort to urge students to be responsible with their bicycles. The campus police are relying on students to do all they can to prevent bike theft. This includes using a strong lock and cable.

Maines said that any crime of opportunity, like bike thievery, is difficult for police officers to control. The campus police believe that the signs and stressing the importance of responsibility are going to help keep the crime rate down.

“Awareness is the biggest prevention,” he added.

James Dobson, a computer science major at Palomar, rides his bike from the train to school every day. But in late February, his locked bike was stolen.

Dobson voiced his frustration. Although the theft was reported to campus police, it was never returned. He was then required to purchase a brand new bike, because he still needed transportation to school.

“They looked for it, but they didn’t find it,” Dobson said. “It’s been months.”

Dobson said he took precautions to make sure his bike was secured. “It had a lock on it.” He said he thinks the thief cut the lock.

“Unless there’s more security, bike theft will go on,” he added.