CSULB has struggled with bike theft for many years now. University Police are hoping to mitigate bike theft by providing students with the U-Lock program.
The UPD has been offering students a U-Lock to fight against bike theft for years. The program first started as “Lock and Roll” in 2014. When the program first launched, students had to register their bikes directly to the campus police. One year before the program was launched, 105 bikes were stolen.
CSULB crime analyst Johnny Leyva said, “As of January 1, 2023, the University Police have received approximately 40 reports of stolen bicycles.”
The City of Long Beach as a whole has a problem with bike theft. According to the Long Beach Police Department data, in January 2021, bike theft made up 47.8% of all crime. Then, in December, bike theft made up 21.1% of all crimes. By looking through all months, the average percentage of bike theft was around 21.2% through the entire year.
The U-Lock program requires students to register their bikes by filling out a registration form. After filling out the form, students can pick up their U-Lock at the University Police station. The program is based on first-come first-served because there are limited locks.
Officer Natassaja Dolgorouky said that this semester, the program started with 1,000 locks and now have about 750 locks left. Students only have register for the U-Lock once can keep the lock even after graduating, as the registration information stays in the UPD bike database.
According to Dolgorouky, the locks are more difficult to break apart. Some tips she gives to students are to lock their bike frame and wheels to the bike rack. She said students should not leave any unsecured items with their bikes.
In the past, the program charged students a fee when registering, but this year the program has changed because the locks are given for free to all students when they register.
Dolgorouky said the locks are valued at $20 and the program is funded by CSULB Vice President of Administration and Finance Scott Apel.
The University Police page states that most crimes are “crimes of opportunity.” Commonly stolen items include bicycles, phones, and laptops.
In an analysis regarding bike theft from 2009 to 2015, a presentation by Alison Yoho, shows that bike theft made up 16% of all crimes at CSULB at the time. From 2009 to 2015, 400 bikes were stolen, with the average number of bikes stolen per semester being around 66.
Zoha Jan, on March 9 of 2023, reported for the Daily Forty-Niner that campus police said 33 bikes were stolen in 2021 and 34 in 2022. In the beginning of 2023, police said that two bikes had been stolen.
Leyva said that many of the bike thefts he has heard of were secured by cable-type or chain-style locks. Both Leyva and Dolgorouky think the U-Locks have helped combat bike theft.
Those who witness anyone trying to steal from the bike rack on campus should contact the UPD. The non-emergency UPD line is (562) 985-4101, but for any emergency, students should always call 911.