By Riley Stephens
rstephens20@student.alamo.edu
Students registering a bicycle through the Alamo Colleges police will remain registered even after they leave the Alamo Colleges. The registration is information to locate the owner if it is lost or stolen at any of the colleges.
Deputy Chief Joe Pabon said when a bicycle is registered, a photo is taken and the serial number is recorded, which helps in an investigation.
In calendar year 2012, 57 bicycles were registered across the five Alamo Colleges, and since January, only 10 have been registered. In 2012, 22 bicycles were stolen from the Alamo Colleges and since January, only 14.
Chief Don Adams said, “A large number of bicycles are taken to pawn shops, and that is where we sometimes go to track down stolen bikes.”
Pabon said, “There were seven bicycles recovered in 2012, and three bicycles have been recovered this year.”
He continued, “I encourage everybody who rides a bicycle on this campus to register their bicycle no matter if it cost $10 or $10,000.”
Alamo Colleges parking rules and regulations state bicycles are prohibited from pedestrian walkways or sidewalks, except for the police bike patrol. Adams said police will not ticket for riding a bike on campus despite the rule, saying some rules “need to be revised.”
Adams said he has noticed the number of students riding bicycles here has increased since spring 2012.
“This rule was set up by the board of trustees, and it needs to get a second look at it,” he said.
Adams said he wants students to be aware of where bicycles are parked and purchase a lock that cannot be easily broken. “These thieves know what they’re doing and have plenty of practice,” Adams said. “They have all the tools at their disposal.”
He said it is important, when using a cable-style lock, to wrap the lock repeatedly around the bike to be sure the bicycle is securely fastened to a pole or bike rack.
The registration form is available through a link on alamo.edu.
Lock it up
Students should use two locks when parking bikes on campus, a bicycle shop sales associate recommended.
“You want two locks, and don’t place them in the same location,” said C.T. Thalkens of Alamo Bike Shop, 1016 N. Flores.
“You want to make the bike look like too much trouble to steal,” he said, adding cable locks are too easy to cut. He recommends a U-lock through the back wheel securing it to the chain and another U-lock through the chain and rack.
Thalkens said box store locks are weak and easily broken. “Most locks around $30 are not secure. The locks at $60 are great.”
He called ABUS the best brand and recommended Kryptonite U-locks and armored cable.
