A deep dive into bike theft at UMich

The University of Michigan has long been considered one of the most bike-friendly campuses in the country, with over 50% of U-M students having ridden a bike in the past year. However, bike theft has plagued the campus for years, raising questions about whether bringing a bike to campus is worth the risk. The Michigan Daily spoke with students and campus safety officials to understand the current state of this enduring problem. 

U-M students looking to report a stolen bike can turn to either of two law enforcement agencies: the Division of Public Safety and Security and the Ann Arbor Police Department. Melissa Overton, deputy chief of police of DPSS, told The Daily in an email that it is not uncommon for DPSS to receive reports of stolen bikes.

“We had 88 bike thefts reported in 2022,” Overton wrote. “I am sure some go unreported — we don’t know what we don’t know.”

In an email to The Daily, AAPD spokesperson Chris Page said they also receive reports of bike theft throughout the school year, both on and off campus.

“In 2021, we had 193 bikes/mountain bikes reported stolen; and in 2022, we had 155 bikes/mountain bikes reported stolen,” Page wrote. “This year (so far), we’ve had 14 bikes/mountain bikes reported stolen. Typically, from May through September is when we get the most bikes reported stolen during the year.” 

Despite the efforts of DPSS and the AAPD, the vast majority of bike thefts go unreported. Rising LSA senior Phoebe Yi said she chose to accept that her bike was gone once it was stolen rather than report it to the appropriate authorities.

“I had that bike for a really long time,” Yi said. “It was a secondhand bike to begin with, and I just kind of let it go. Sometimes I go around looking at bike racks and go ‘oh, that kind of looks like my bike,’ but I just (decided to) accept it was gone.”

Rising LSA junior Maria Wajahat told The Daily she has had her bike stolen twice and did not report either of the thefts to DPSS. Wajahat said she doubted DPSS could do anything to help her get her bike back because she did not register it.

“The second time, I got a newer bike, a more expensive bike, (and) I did lock it,” Wajahat said. “Someone cut through the lock and stole the bike. So that time I also did not contact DPSS, although I did think about doing it more (than the first time). I don’t think there was anything they could do because I didn’t register the bike.”

Page said many bike thefts are the result of people improperly locking their bikes.

“A lot of the cases involve the bicycle not being properly secured,” Page wrote. “The bike’s owner should make sure the lock goes through the actual frame and not just a wheel.”

Overton echoed these sentiments and said people often use the wrong lock to secure bikes on campus. 

“The most common mistake is using the wrong lock,” Overton wrote. “Do not use a cable type lock or secure it via the wheel, etc. (Instead), use a U-bolt type lock.”

Neither Yi nor Wajahat used a U-bolt type lock to secure their bikes. Yi said she used a hard plastic lock, and thinks that the lock was cut through.

“I was using one of those hard plastic locks (with) a key to it,” Yi said. “Those (are) the ones people don’t recommend using because you can cut it off really easily, and I just assumed that was the case (with my bike). I think that they cut it off and took the lock with them.”

Page said one of the most important steps people can take to help AAPD track down their stolen bike as quickly as possible is knowing their bike’s serial number.

“The best way to (remember it) would be to flip the bike upside down and take a picture of the serial number,” Page wrote. “In most cases the bike that is stolen is mass produced, so knowing the serial number drastically increases the chances of the owner getting their bike back.”

To report a bike theft on campus, students can call DPSS at 734-763-1131 or report the theft online. For bikes stolen off campus, students can call the AAPD at 734-794-6911 or file a report in person at the police station on the second floor of 301 E. Huron St.

Summer Managing News Editor Mary Corey can be reached at mcorey@umich.edu. Daily Staff Reporter Joshua Nicholson can be reached at joshuni@umich.edu.