Police handle spare bikes
Laura Uhlmansiek
Issue date: 12/4/03 Section: News
About 150 stolen bicycles sit unclaimed and forgotten in the Kirksville Police Department's storage building.
They have accumulated over the years as police have recovered stolen bicycles uncollected by the owners.
"What usually happens is the bikes are not reported stolen, so when we recover a bike and we have not located an owner, it ends up out there in the storage shed," said Sgt. Steve Farnsworth of the Kirksville Police Department. "If someone doesn't come in and report it to us, we have no way to find the owner."
The shed contains a variety of bicycles that vary in price and condition.
"These bikes range from the real nice Trek bikes or mountain bikes that are $500 to $600 bikes all the way down to $50 or $60 bikes," Farnsworth said. "Not all are in good condition, and some are beyond repair."
The majority of these bicycles were stolen with the intent of being used for a short time, and the police department recovered them where the thieves dumped them, Farnsworth said.
"Usually somebody who's coming by who doesn't want to walk any further will just jump on a bike, ride it to where they're going and then ditch it," Farnsworth said.
The majority of bikes stolen are left unlocked or have a lock that is easy to break, like the chains that have a combination lock, said Tom Johnson, director of the Department of Public Safety.
"You can break them with a pair of pliers, or even a pair of wire cutters will take care of them," Johnson said. "The best ones are the U-type locks. You can't cut them - not without a blow torch."
Three bicycle thefts have been reported to Public Safety this semester, and seven bicycles were stolen during the 2003 spring semester.
"I knew a couple people who had their bikes stolen, so after that I was more cautious with my bicycle," sophomore Tyler Nobis said. "I keep my front tire low, so it looks like the tire is flat so no one tries to steal it."
Senior Jenna Meyer said she reported her bicycle stolen Oct. 27 after she left it unlocked between Missouri and Brewer halls.
They have accumulated over the years as police have recovered stolen bicycles uncollected by the owners.
"What usually happens is the bikes are not reported stolen, so when we recover a bike and we have not located an owner, it ends up out there in the storage shed," said Sgt. Steve Farnsworth of the Kirksville Police Department. "If someone doesn't come in and report it to us, we have no way to find the owner."
The shed contains a variety of bicycles that vary in price and condition.
"These bikes range from the real nice Trek bikes or mountain bikes that are $500 to $600 bikes all the way down to $50 or $60 bikes," Farnsworth said. "Not all are in good condition, and some are beyond repair."
The majority of these bicycles were stolen with the intent of being used for a short time, and the police department recovered them where the thieves dumped them, Farnsworth said.
"Usually somebody who's coming by who doesn't want to walk any further will just jump on a bike, ride it to where they're going and then ditch it," Farnsworth said.
The majority of bikes stolen are left unlocked or have a lock that is easy to break, like the chains that have a combination lock, said Tom Johnson, director of the Department of Public Safety.
"You can break them with a pair of pliers, or even a pair of wire cutters will take care of them," Johnson said. "The best ones are the U-type locks. You can't cut them - not without a blow torch."
Three bicycle thefts have been reported to Public Safety this semester, and seven bicycles were stolen during the 2003 spring semester.
"I knew a couple people who had their bikes stolen, so after that I was more cautious with my bicycle," sophomore Tyler Nobis said. "I keep my front tire low, so it looks like the tire is flat so no one tries to steal it."
Senior Jenna Meyer said she reported her bicycle stolen Oct. 27 after she left it unlocked between Missouri and Brewer halls.