New GPS tracking system helps hook bike thefts

By Norie Young

Special to The Johnsonian

In order to reduce the amount of bicycle theft on campus, police installed GPS systems into four unmarked bikes. This year, the tracked bikes have led to four arrests. Photo illustration by Stephanie Eaton • eatons@thejohnsonian.com.Campus Police have the hook, and some criminals are taking the bait. 

Bike theft on Winthrop’s campus has become a serious issue, so much so that now the campus is being watched.

Campus Police are currently positioning bike lures on racks around campus to catch thieves. The bait bikes come equipped with a tracking device so authorities know when they have been moved. 

The device works similar to a GPS system and uses satellite positioning. Using this method, the bikes can be followed and hopefully lead to the people taking them. These trackers are the same type of gadget used to track cars; the department currently uses three of them.

In 2009, 20 bikes were stolen while 11 were stolen this year. Four of those 11 were baits. Those baits led to four arrests. 

Campus Police have decided to take a more proactive approach to this problem. 

“The bikes were put out in the middle of September, and we have already arrested four persons stealing bikes,” chief of police Frank Zebedis said. “It appears right now we will reduce bike theft by more than 50 percent on campus during the 2010 year.”

Ashley Frances, junior English literature and language major, went through an inconvenient situation after leaving her bike in front of Bancroft, where it was stolen last year. 

 “I made the mistake of leaving it there for a week. I really regret doing that,” Frances said. “I had the advantage of being able to walk places because I lived on campus, and so I planned on just getting my bike later.”

Frances said she never imagined her bike would be one of the 20 stolen last year.

She had no car, so losing her only means of transportation made traveling to places off campus a hassle. 

It was not revealed whether other Winthrop students or members of the community are committing the robberies, but Zebedis is hopeful that with this new approach bike theft can be stopped on campus.