Dozens of bike thefts have already been reported to the Bloomington Police Department and IU Police Department this fall.
“We’ve had a rash of them,” Sgt. Dana Cole said.
Cole said he’d already filed three reports by 11 a.m. Wednesday.
IU Police Department Capt. Shannon Bunger said the same trend has popped up on campus.
“We have seen a major rise in bike thefts,” he said.
Cole said most of the incidents involve cable bike locks being cut, but some thieves just take high-value wheels and leave the bike’s frame.
A woman whose bike was taken sometime during late August or early September thought she spotted a man riding her bike Tuesday afternoon on East Kirkwood Avenue.
The 24-year-old stopped the man, but when police arrived they found the bike he was riding did not match her bike’s serial number.
The woman’s bike is a 2004 Specialized Expedition valued at $255.
Cole said other bikes reported stolen include a Jamis Commuter, a Giant Escape and a Mongoose.
BPD searches pawn shops and other reselling locations for stolen bikes, but Cole said it’s hard to make sure they’ve got the right bike unless they know its serial number.
He said the easiest way to take care of the issue is for riders to take a photo of their bike’s serial number in case it goes missing.
