Campus Police reported eight bike thefts on campus since move-in weekend, bringing the total since April to 31. Sgt. Jon Barnwell said two men have been arrested for bike theft in the past month. Steve Faison, 49, was arrested Monday night and Gregory Priest was arrested in July.

Some of the “hot spots,” according to Barnwell, are East Campus residence halls, the Quad, the triad, the Brickyard and Talley Student Center. All of the thefts involved cable or chain locks, and Barnwell encouraged all bicycle owners to utilize a solid core u-bolt lock.

“In my time here at N.C. State, we have averaged over 100 bicycles a year being stolen and of those 100 we’ve had one taken that utilized the solid core u-bolt lock,” he said. “That’s almost 10 years; that’s almost 1,000 bikes but only one being secured with [solid core u-bolt lock], and that’s because it was improperly secured.”

Seth Short, a graduate student in aerospace engineering, said he rides his bike to class everyday. He said he has had one bike stolen in front of D.H. Hill Library and one seat and one post that the seat sits on stolen.

“You just have to be safe about where you park your bike,” he said, adding that older or cheaper bikes aren’t bad to leave outside during the night, but that newer bikes should probably be taken inside. “During the day, it’s not that much of a problem,” he explained.

Concerning the two men arrested for bike theft, Barnwell said they have a history of stealing bikes.

“We’ve dealt with them recently and what happens is they’ll stay in jail for a month or so and then they’ll be right back at it,” he said. “Priest is already out.”

Campus Police asks students and staff to keep their eyes and ears open for any suspicious activity and to utilize the free registration for bikes. He said registering bikes allows the department to maintain the make, model and serial number so the bike permit itself adds as a deterrent, adding that he doesn’t see many registered bikes being stolen.

“It kills us to have to take reports from a student who just bought a bike Thursday. We have had a couple of cases where they bought the bike, secured it to the bike rack and came back a couple hours later and it was gone,” Barnwell said. “It’s not fun for us or the students.”

Theft was reported as the top crime on campus in June and is still accurate.

“Theft is still our number one crime on campus, but that’s not just the theft of bicycles,” he said. “We’re also seeing an increase in motor vehicles. When the students first come back the thieves know that and they’re going to notice that.”

Barnwell also advised students not to leave items unattended in vehicles.

Short said riding a bike on campus is a good means of travel and it is his preferred form of transportation.

“I think it’s great,” Short said. “It reduces the amount of traffic and it’s the fastest way to get on campus.”