UT Security Proactive in Stopping Bike Theft

Almost each week, it appears the Police Beat section of The Minaret is spotted with instances of bike theft that occur on campus.

In response to growing concern over these instances, Kevin Howell, assistant director of Campus Safety and Security, spoke about the situation.

While Howell does not consider the instances of bike theft to be an overwhelming threat to campus security, he recognizes the spike in bike theft, especially over the past two weeks.

He is confident, however, that the recent apprehension of two suspects caught breaking into the bike lock-up under Thomas Parking Garage will help to end the epidemic of thievery swiftly and decisively.

The pair was caught cutting the protective fence and locks, and the area has been secured against future attempts.

“The proximity of the Thomas Parking Garage to the security office made it personal,” said Howell.

Because the offenders are juveniles and live in close proximity to UT, their identities are being protected at the present time.

Except for the recent foiled attempt at thievery in Thomas Garage, Howell said that relatively few stolen bicycles are ever recovered and that the potential for theft is significant all over campus.

“Our UT campus is an open one,” said Howell, “and that makes us vulnerable and a good target for outside theft.”
Because security employs relatively few guards to secure the entire campus, he urges that students take matters into their own hands and exercise certain precautions.

Apart from locking up bicycles in more secure areas such as below Thomas Garage, it is also recommended that students monitor their possessions closely. Security cameras have a finite memory, so bikes left unattended for more than a week are often untraceable.

Other precautions students can take include removing bike seats before storing their property and considering using cast iron locks that are virtually impossible to cut.

Working in tandem with the student body, security hopes to be able to fully eliminate all threats of theft in the future and make UT as safe as possible.

To this end, Howell urges all students to be aware of their surroundings and report any relevant issues to the security office.

“We have to be reactive before we can be proactive,” said Howell.