Bike thieves are learning how to quickly and effectively compromise bike locks. As a university bike patrol officer, I have learned that locks, bike lockers and other “secure” facilities just slow down a determined thief. These traditional ways that campuses attempt to prevent bike theft – including cyclist education – are being put to the test.
Fortunately, campus public safety and security departments have a valuable tool at their disposal: Global Positioning Systems (GPS). This solution is a critical component of what campus law enforcement likes to call “bait bikes.”
The chance of catching a thief in the act is like fishing in a pond. You might or might not make a catch. The use of GPS technology, however, is like a fish finder. It gives you the opportunity to aggressively target trouble areas and monitor the bait bikes as you carry on with your day.
Departments in Canada and the United States have used this program with great success. Victoria Police in British Columbia, Canada, for example, report that bike thefts have decreased 19 percent since introducing this program.
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How It Works
Placing a GPS unit on a bicycle and tracking its whereabouts is what bait bikes are all about. GPS units are small enough to hide inconspicuously on any bicycle, and the thieves who steal the bicycle don’t realize it can be tracked in real time.
Multiple bait bikes can be deployed and monitored by one person, and if a thief takes a bait bike, it will be monitored in real time by software. Officers can then be sent to apprehend the suspect and recover the property.
Many companies offer Web-based software that can track bait bikes, and some products even enable the user to set boundaries for the GPS unit. If a bike that is equipped with GPS leaves a predetermined boundary, the software can send a text message or E-mail to a mobile phone, alerting dispatch or an officer that the bike is on the move. The ability to view the bike on a map is also part of the software.
For a bait bike program to be effective, it must be properly marketed. Demonstrations made to the media, posters, Web sites and forums act as deterrents to theft by spreading the word to criminals that there are bait bikes in your jurisdiction. In response to this advertising, most bike thieves will move to another area where they are less likely to get caught.
GPS tracking is a cutting edge technology that cannot be thwarted by thieves and can lead to less incidents of theft.
Steve Forbes is a constable with the University of Guelph Police in Guelph, Ontario, Canada and an International Police Mountain Bike Instructor. He can be reached at [email protected].
