Photo by Blake Sobczak/North by Northwestern

Medill sophomore Jenny Wilson has had three bikes stolen at Northwestern. She left her first one locked outside of Tech, where it was taken overnight. Another she left outside of Ryan Field, also with a lock on it.

“The last one I got stolen was my fault,” Wilson said. “I hadn’t been locking it so I guess somebody walking by just decided to take it.”

The student handbook technically requires all bikes stored on campus to be registered with University Police. It’s not just for their records – the free registration makes it much easier to find a lost, stolen or misplaced bike. For off-campus students or those who just want to be extra-safe, the Evanston Police Department has a registration service that costs a mere fifty cents.

“If your name isn’t registered for that bike we have no way of knowing whose that is,” said Vince Geraci, Manager of Maintenance Trades at Facilities Management.

Geraci deals with wayward bikes on an almost daily basis. Facilities Management frequently does sweeps of on-campus bikes, tagging the ones in unauthorized areas. If, after three days, the bike is still there, it’s confiscated and put it into storage.

“We have to hold it for 30 days,” Geraci said. “That way, in case a student realizes their bike is missing, they can get it back.”

After this grace period, Facilities Management either disposes of bikes in bad condition or donates them to the Norris Bike Sale, going on this Friday, April 16 from noon to 3 p.m. According to Geraci, Facilities Management tows roughly a few hundred student bikes per year. Many students don’t realize where their bike has been taken, assuming it was simply stolen. And if the bike isn’t registered, UP can’t track it to Facilities Management.

“One of the biggest things I try to do is give [bikes] back to the students,” Geraci said. “We have no use for them and I know some of them are very expensive, but it’s hard to find the student.”

Students whose bikes are taken by Facilities Management are lucky. Within the 30-day window, bikes can be picked up at Facilities Management at 2020 Ridge. But it’s not just a pleasant walk up Foster to pick up a confiscated ten-speed – students also have to pay a $25 fee to get it back. If instead someone cracked the lock, hoisted the bike over the fence it was locked to or found some other creative way of stealing it, contact University Police immediately at (847) 491-325 (the non-emergency line).

As if finals week weren’t stressful enough, Weinberg sophomore Zach Ratner had to deal with a stolen bike during the last week of Winter Quarter. He contacted University Police, but because he hadn’t registered the bike, they couldn’t help him. He sent out an e-mail to his dorm for information or a lead on who might have taken it, asking for help. He still hasn’t found it.

Though it seems like bike theft plagues campus, the easiest way to prevent it is registration. But there are also other tricks to holding on to your Schwinn that can confound even veteran bike thieves.

How to avoid bike theft:

Always lock up. Though determined thieves can probably break anything if they really want to, a lock will deter them from picking yours, and they’ll probably move to an easier steal. UP sells Kryptonite U-shaped locks (the hardest for thieves to crack) for $35.

Lock it somewhere that’s staying put. Make sure someone can’t take off with the shrub it’s attached to, or lift up the leg of a bench. Bike racks, parking meters and big trees are all good bets. Also, lock it in a campus-authorized location, designated in the student handbook. Remember, Facilities Management charges a $25 fee to pick up confiscated bikes.

If you don’t have a lock, hide it well. Put it way in the back of the bike area, with another, much more expensive bike on top of it.

Mark your territory. Engrave your driver’s license number on the frame in big, noticeable letters. That way, you’ll be able to prove your ownership at a bike or pawnshop if it’s found.

How to register your bike:

Northwestern University Police: Once you’ve registered (either online or in person) you get a serial number sticker to put on your bike, denoting ownership.

City of Evanston: Bring your bike and the money for half a load of laundry to 1454 Elmwood, the Evanston Police Department. They’ll give you a license to put on the frame and enter your serial number in their database. Make sure to write down your number and keep in a good place.