ASU police look to curb thefts with "bait bikes" - KMSP-TV

Bicycle thefts are a common problem at Arizona State University, but campus police are fighting back.

They're cutting down on the number of bikes ripped off from the racks with the help of GPS technology.

ASU police have arrested several people so far this year for stealing bikes from campus.  A lot of these thieves strike in the middle of the day, going basically unnoticed with the busy nature of a college campus.

Bikes are the most popular way of getting around ASU's main campus.  There are an estimated 10,000 of them and last year, nearly 500 were stolen.

It didn't take much time to find someone who's been a victim or knows someone who has.

"Oh yeah, it's like often..almost every week," said ASU junior Daniel Reece.  "You hear people like, oh, my bikes gone, oh no!"

"It happens so fast..he just bought the bike off Craigslist..it cost him like $300 and gone, just like that," said ASU junior Brooke Spradlin.

For a lot of students, this is more than just a bike.  It's their primary mode of transportation, so having it stolen is a huge hassle.

"I've noticed a lot of these thefts are during broad daylight.  I mean both of mine were," said ASU senior Kyle Dubay.

Dubay had two bikes stolen last year.  Now he's opting for a skateboard.

"I keep the skateboard.  That way, I can keep it with me.  I can take it into class with me and that way nobody can steal it," he said.

To combat the problem, ASU police are using so-called "bait bikes."  The bikes are set out on campus with a hidden GPS locator so police can go after the crooks if they take the bait.

Students hope it helps.

"I think it's a great idea," said Reece.  "It's like you'll literally catch people, you'll find out the people doing it."

"I certainly think bikes are still going to be stolen, but it's definitely something that's going to help, I think," said Spradlin.

ASU police are also encouraging bike owners to go online and register their bikes with the police department.  That makes it much easier for them to get the bikes back to their rightful owners if they're stolen.

Online:

ASU Police Bike Registration - https://cfo.asu.edu/bike-theft