Problem Statement

   Bicycles are ranked number one on this list of most stolen items in the United States. One location that definitely has this problem is the University of Florida. Bikes on this college campus are taken away from their owners every day. Finding bikes missing there tires with just the frame on the concrete isn’t too rare while walking through campus. Bicycle theft at the University of Florida is a big problem because it promotes an unsafe environment, and isn’t a priority to security or law enforcement.  

   Many students use their bikes on a daily basis because its convenient and saves a lot of time. The University of Florida has a very large campus and a student population of approximately 50,000 students. With thousands of students attending school at UF, the limit on available parking spaces becomes an issue for many that have cars. Using a bike to commute to class and other places around campus resolves the issue for many students. Biking on campus is quicker than driving because it eliminates the hassle of finding parking which from my experience can take a decade. Bikes can take more direct routes, that cars can’t go, around campus without having to deal with traffic lights and congested streets in the afternoon. Saving time isn’t the only benefit of biking, it also keeps you active, healthy, and conserves the gas in your tank. Unfortunately, all these benefits can be taken away within hours of you leaving your bicycle unattended.

    During the Spring semester this year, my friend had his road bike stolen overnight. Even with a lock, the thief or thieves still managed to take it away. He wasn’t the only one with missing property, many others at UF have reported their bicycles as stolen too. Bike theft happens when you would least expect it to, as the robbers are very swift about it. The market for stolen bikes is huge in the area because it’s easy money to those that don’t get caught. After taken, these bikes can be sold in various ways. They can be sold online through websites like Craigslist and eBay, or even at pawn shops in the area. Stolen bikes are difficult to recover because there are very few ways to identify them, and they could be hundreds of miles away in a matter of days. UFPD (University of Florida Police Department) recommends registering your bike with them. In the case that it gets stolen, the information from the registration can be used to help identify it to the owner. Details like serial number, color, brand, model, and size can help officers spot the bike if they come into contact. After hearing about my friend’s incident, it made me rethink whether or not to invest in a road bike due to the fear of it getting stolen.

    Knowing that many bikes are stolen on University of Florida’s campus is disheartening. As a well known public university, things like theft shouldn’t be tolerated. College students and professors shouldn’t have to worry about their mode of transportation being gone after class or lecture. Universities should have a safe and secured environment where students and faculty don’t have to worry about this kind of issue. Students have insane amounts of homework to worry about but are also here to have fun. No one can be worry free and have fun in what seems like an unsafe environment.

    The number of bike thefts occurring on the University of Florida’s campus tells us that security isn’t giving it enough attention.

Solutions

I believe the best solution to this problem is bicycle theft prevention. Preventative measures like "U locks" can be used to secure bikes while parked around campus. This lock is very thick steel that is incredibly hard to cut through. Another solution I think would be great are secured bike parking spots that require your UF ID and scanned bar code to put in and take out your bike.