campus bicycle security

larryone

...and I was walking after a monday evenings juggling towardsthe computer science department, where my bike was. Upon my approach I noticed something very odd. My handlebars had been stolen. HANDLEBARS!
yea, they were a particularly nice set of handlebars, etc...
they undid 2 bolts at the fromt and cut all my cables so they could take them. cost me a fair bit for a new bar, new brake handles, new gear controlls, and a full recabling job. thankfully it didnt require a new stem.

while reporting this to services (just for the sake of having it reported - I wasnt hoping anything would actually get done) I noticed the layout of their theft report forms. First heading is "Personal Information" (or something) for name, contact details, student No, etc.
Second heading was "Bicycles"
think about this. second heading ona theft report form. Services guy said that bicycles were the most regularly stolen thing. I was wondering if it was the most regularly stolen thing why nothing ever gets done about it...
services guy told me where he was in college in england, there was an area set asside for bicycles which was fenced and floodlit, and had cameras (which he admitted were probably dummy cameras)
I said it sounded fantastic, and said I might go to the students union and ask them why they dont try get something done - since this is the sort of thing I pay them for.
went to the president - cant remember his name at the time - and he asked me if I wanted to organise an open meeting, put up posters and start a campaign. I told him thats what I pay the union for. he said ok. nothing happened about it. (I was slightly annoyed at the response - to put it lightly)

so - post your bicycle theft story - lets see how many have been hit by this...

Riamfada

Was out walking the other monday and as I was passing the Comp Science building i saw a lovely set of handlebars ripe for the taking.. "I must have these shiney handlebars I told myself" .

No In all seriousness sorry about the handlebars. Did you still cycle the bike home anyway? Id say contact the Su again and keep the heat on them. It seems no matter where you go bikes are going to get stolen.

larryone

no matter where you go bikes are going to get stolen, but something could be done about it.
I tried to cycle it - didnt get very far.
It's not worth the effort to try get the SU to do the job. I'd have to hound them for it. I dont think I should have to.

Riamfada

I dont think it would be to much trouble for UCD top brass to put a security camera looking over the bycycle areas. Thinking about the car parks are unsecured but it does say "parked at owners risk" somwhere

larryone

how much do dummy cameras cost?

Riamfada

Pick them up in any electrical wholesalers for around €19.99

Sangre

The bottom line is UCD would need several of these as the campus is way too large to just have one.
Although I've regularly left my bike unlocked in Roebuck...until it was stolen from my home that is. Don't worry, the irony isn't lost on me.

Stabshauptmann

I think the saest area is up near the studends club, but my brother had one nicked on him from the sci-block.

TBH, if thats your story, doesnt sound like the SU guy insulted you, more vice-versa and he took the words right out of my mouth. Someone should organise a campaign. I dont cycle but would come to your meeting and maybe get involved if I think the campaign well organised or potential to be so.

irlrobins

You'd be surprised how quickly and easily bike thieves steal bikes. About 18 months ago I was looking out my office window which directly faces on to one of the bike racks outside CSI. Saw a guy ride up on his bike, park it in rack and "lock" it, walk straight over to another bike, take a quick look around and slip a pair of bolt cutters out from his jacket. I knew exactly what he was about to do so ran out and came up behind him just as he was about to peddle off.

He got a bit of a shock when I asked him what he was doing. Told to fuck off and he legged it (I wasn't going to try and restrain him, god knows what else he had under jacket).

Anyway took him less then 30 secs to get off the first bike, walk over to second bike, but lock and get up on the saddle. And there were people all around and no one saw him doing it. So even if you had a well lit area with cams it prob won't stop the theft.

Turned out the first bike was stolen as well so at least the Guards recovered that.

BKtje

Id be more that willing to pay some charge to get a fenced off area with floodlights, cameras and a key.

Pay some amount for the year and the key. While it wouldnt stop it, some of the less ambitious thieves might be put off enough to go somewhere easier.

humbert

I think Sangre's right UCD is far too big to do somethink like that, I suppose thats what services are ment to be doing but at best there aren't enough of them to prevent a would be thief that isn't a total idiot and I don't have any faith in services. I haven't had a bike robbed yet but it's probably only a matter of time:mad:

larryone

I've had one bicycle, and a set of handlebars stolen. the bike went when I was in first year.

A well lit area with a fence and a "camera" wouldnt stop bike theft altogether, but would discourage most would-be thiefs.

Assmaster_Kronk

A friend of mine came out of the sports centre a few weeks ago, and lo and behold someone had tried to steal his racer..........with an axe.
Two big gashes smack bang in the middle of the frame and the wheel was in bad shape, pretty expensive overall. Seems they couldn't get through the lock so they just started swingin'. I laughed when i heard the story but i certainly won't be lockin my bike up anywhere near there anytime soon:D

humbert

Ok I'm a lot more worried about the maniac wandering around campus with an axe and amn't convinced that he/she/it was trying to steal the bike and wasn't just swinging psycotically at the first thing that he/she/it objected to:eek:

Assmaster_Kronk

Ah sure its been a few weeks, all the axe murderers end up in America in the end:D

tywy

im so paranoid about my bike in UCD I put two locks on it....given I did pay out a fair bit for the bike.

I've been told that the best way to protect your bike is to use a good U lock and a strong cable lock because you need a car jack for U lock and a clipper thing for the cable so it is unlikely a thief will have both.

mac_leinn

I suppose the best place to park your bike is where there are lots of people around so I suggest the SU should tell the swans to f off, drain the lake and turn it into a giant parking lot . A little extreme?

Or maybe we could have bike racks all around the lake and the swans could act as security guards. I wouldn't mess with those feckers, they alot bigger then you think.

mac

irlrobins

tywy wrote:

im so paranoid about my bike in UCD I put two locks on it....given I did pay out a fair bit for the bike.

I've been told that the best way to protect your bike is to use a good U lock and a strong cable lock because you need a car jack for U lock and a clipper thing for the cable so it is unlikely a thief will have both.

U lock is def the best. Although they can be cut with bolt cutters, the bolt cutters would need to be 3 - 4 ft long so it's hard for anyone to conceal them.

Cable locks can be snipped with small bolt cutters in one go. Ain't worth buying imho.

scop

I'd be more than surprised if none of those working in services werent involved, my uncle who worked in another college said if they hung about so guys could rob bikes that theyd get thrown a few quid after a few bikes go missing.

Syth

When I was in second year (4th year now), my bike was nicked from UCD. TO be fair, I had only locked the front wheel on, and it had quick release wheels. I still have the wheel.

I agree with larryone. There should be a locked away area for bikes. UCD should be providing this, and the SU should be yelling at UCD to provide it.

John_C

Don't forget the importance of having a crap bike or at least a bike that looks crap.

A locked away area would just allow a thief to work away in peace and quiet, getting a key would be easy. The more out in the open the better.

Tayto2000

"U lock is def the best. Although they can be cut with bolt cutters, the bolt cutters would need to be 3 - 4 ft long so it's hard for anyone to conceal them."

This is true of some U-Locks alright, but a good U-lock is mostly proof. The best ones have a square cross section and are wide diameter hardened steel so that bolt cutters can't get leverage to cut. A good U-lock has to be ground off, hacksaws have problems cutting hardened steel.

Unfortunately, a thief may not even need to disable your lock. Master keys can be got for various brands of lock although they are only supposed to be available to locksmiths. This means that the theft looks like a guy unlocking his bike and cycling it off, even if there was a Garda standing there, it looks legitimate. Luckily, this is a rare breed of professional thief.

I've had three bikes stolen over 16 years, each time was not because the lock was defeated but because I didn't lock it up properly. Lock it TO something and if you don't want bits being taken off it, bring them with you. Although handlebars are a bit much...

BKtje

TO be fair, I had only locked the front wheel on, and it had quick release wheels. I still have the wheel.

I've actually had my bike stolen from monkstown (surprised surprise i hear ya say) but the funny thing was that i found the bike in an alley after 5 mins, all that was missing was the front wheel!
Didnt bother with a quick release when i replaced it

irlrobins

B-K-DzR wrote:

Didnt bother with a quick release when i replaced it

God no, first thing I'd do if I got a bike with quick release anything is to replace with nuts and bolts. Otherwise ur guaranteed to find ur bike missing saddle, wheel etc.

BKtje

i should have done it earlier really but was pure laziness on my part.

I can't understand why they'd go through the effort of taking the bike only to dump it in an alley and take the wheel. Maybe they were just practicing :rolleyes:

Sangre

Check out the cycling forum for tips on how to safely lock your bike!
You can also get a lock with a guarantee on it that if its compromised they'll refund your bike or whatever.

BKtje

really? must check that out. Dunno if the bike is worth that tho

larryone

locks with guarentees sound nice...

I wonder If I emailed Hugh Brady.
"Sell your gym! buy a bicycle! it'll get you fit much faster. Then put the money from the gym sale towards a secure bike area for you and 10000 students!"

I wonder how many people actually cycle to UCD daily.
I have heard stories of guys driving a van into ucd, and to the science buildings. Loading up the van with bikes nicked with a big bolt cutters, and driving off. On a saturday evening.
The potential for something like that to happen would be reduced greatly by a well secured area that arent readily accessible by such vehicles...

panda100

I've had two bikes stolen from me-one from the terrace and the other when I was living in Belgrove.This was after I purchased the 35 euro bike locks from the ever crappy belfield bike shop.

My bike now is lovely and purple-a real beaut!But i bashed it around a bit and put black duct tape all around it so it would look old and this does seem to be somewhat of a detterent.I always park my bike at the side of 911-i think larry1's idea of a huge bike rack is a brill idea.

Alkers

I'd gladly support any such campaign. As far U-locks being the best, not true, most (except for the really expensive ones) can be opened with one or two hits of a hammer if you know where to hit them. The only way to stop a bike from being locked is multiple locks of different types. Then you also have to consider carrying all these locks. I've never had a bike nicked from UCD as I bought a crap bike purely because I didn't want any of my decent ones to get nicked. Maybe the best way would be a compound somewhere in the centre of the campus, you leave your bike in their, get a ticket and then can only get your bike out with a ticket.

John_C

irlrobins wrote:

God no, first thing I'd do if I got a bike with quick release anything is to replace with nuts and bolts. Otherwise ur guaranteed to find ur bike missing saddle, wheel etc.

I replaced mine with an allen key bolt and then filled the hole with candle wax.

I had to add a cigarette lighter to my puncture repair kit but I think that most thiefs won't have one.

tywy

irlrobins wrote:

U lock is def the best. Although they can be cut with bolt cutters, the bolt cutters would need to be 3 - 4 ft long so it's hard for anyone to conceal them.

Cable locks can be snipped with small bolt cutters in one go. Ain't worth buying imho.

Ah the cable lock I have is very hard to cut with a bolt cutter because all the bolt cutter does is squish the steal it can't actually cut through it. That's why I got that particular lock.

Gavin

As mentioned above, two locks is best. A heavy chain with padlock, not a cable lock, and a ULock.

Leave the chain at the bike rack, no need to lug it with you on the bike.

http://www.redbrick.dcu.ie/~wiki/mw/Bike_Locks

overview above.

Gav

ferdi

never had a bike stolen form ucd.

had a nice racer lifted from outside my front door at home though

Stepherunie

I took my sisters bike for college instead of my own when i moved up her as I have a very nice one myself, basically i've destroyed hers and it squeaks and te gears are wrecked since i cycled it into a lamppost on campus in september, looks like crap - it is crap so it's never been stolen despite the fact I once left it unlocked outside the library one day - the locking mechanism had frozen on my padlock.

From what i've heard it's generally weekends that the more petty thiefs strike - the teens so best have a semi decent lock when they're around.

They need to do something about security though - I park my bike down by health science and most of us just lock it to those stupid barriers that anyone could get through with very little trouble.

I'm actually amazed I still have my bike though - i discovered i'd left it in the ally at the side of my house between it and the garage for four days as I hadn't been cycling and yet it wasn't taken.

Vorsprung

Has anything like this been suggested, you set up a certain amount of fenced off areas at particular parts of campus, they'd have CCTV and to get into the you'd have to swipe your student card through a little machine. You'd only need 5 or 6 through out campus, i'm sure it wouldn't cost a ridiculous amount of money to set up.

singingstranger

The problem with this would be who pays for the CCTV... they've had a setup in the past where (I believe) there was a similar thing; you paid 20p per day or something, park in a particular spot and somebody would literally keep watch all day. Problem was that people wouldn't pay the 20p and eventually the scheme wasn't worth it anymore...

Anyway, CCTV isn't a whole lot of a deterrent because most people aren't bothered about being seen on it. What will Services or the Gardaí do if you're spotted - try and remember your face?

Vorsprung

My idea was more that one CCTV camera would cover the whole area so that if anyone tried to do anything fancy like hop over the fence, services would see them and race down. Im sure there's plenty of CCTV around the place anyway (is there? hope so!) so you could put the fences in places already covered by cameras.

irlrobins

CCTV can actaully be a good deterrant. Many bike thiefs are repeat offenders and thus easily recognisable by the Guards. I'm sure if you plotted where all bike thefts occur in UCD most occur in areas not covered by cameras.

Of course installing CCTV in an area as large as UCD would be hugely expensive.

singingstranger

Although if they were to put it in a couple of more centralised places with a swipey system it could really work... I'm going to go to some of the Union types with this actually...

irlrobins

Glenomena had this originally: a fenced off area with a lock on door that could only be opened with swipe card. But obviously some people found the hassle of swiping too much and kept propping the door wide open. Gave up trying to close it all the time.