Sean Hutson owns a car, but he prefers to bike the mile from University Courtyard Apartments to Ohio University's campus. At least, he did until his bicycle was stolen outside Bentley Hall Annex late last month.
I was shocked because I never imagined it would get stolen
said Hutson, a 23-year-old graduate student.
Within the first four weeks of Spring Quarter, six bicycles and one wheel were reported stolen from bicycle racks around campus. Another had its wheel and frame damaged. Last Spring Quarter, seven bicycles were reported stolen to university police.
So far this academic year, the most thefts - 18 bicycles - were reported during Fall Quarter, according to OU police records.
Hutson reported the theft to the OU Police Department but said he conducted his own search when officers told him that they couldn't do anything.
I went around to all the bike shops to see if anyone tried to sell it Hutson said. At this point I don't really have any hope.
Even if the bicycle is found, the OU officers couldn't return it because Hutson did not know the bicycle's serial number.
We have to be able to verify that the bike that belongs to the person who reported it stolen is the same bike that was found
said OU Police Chief Andrew Powers. There are many popular types of bicycles that could look similar or identical to a stolen bicycle, he said.
Unless we can somehow clearly establish ownership of the bike
we normally don't release (it) without the serial number
Powers said. If a bike is unique enough
someone scratched their initials into it somewhere
or something like that
that would suffice.
It wasn't (the officers') impression that we were over the average
Powers said, adding that he did not know the average number of bike thefts each spring.
Powers said people steal bikes to sell them or just to ride.
Ivan Bissett was one of the luckier people who had bicycle parts stolen.
Bissett, a freshmen studying mechanical engineering, locked one of his wheels to the bicycle rack outside Stocker Center and returned an hour later to find his wheel and lock missing.
I was pretty shocked
Bissett said, adding that the wheel alone cost between $150 and $200.
Bissett is a BMX rider who frequents the Athens Skate Park.
To me
