When Trent Walker moved into his off-campus home last year, he and his roommates had no idea how susceptible their most frequent mode of transportation would be to theft.
"I had two bikes stolen, and two of my roommates had theirs stolen within a period of two months," Walker said.
While two of the bikes were stolen from bike racks on campus, the other two were stolen right off Walker's front porch.
"We just figured that if our bikes were on the porch, no on would actually come up and take them, especially with a house full of six guys," Walker said.
"Honestly, I think I was just amazed that someone would actually come onto your property and walk right up to your door and take a bike that's sitting on your front porch," he added.
"Reporting the stolen bike would be more hassle than it's worth," Walker said. "You'd have to file a report with the police and it'd take them weeks to investigate; and really, they probably wouldn't investigate it at all."
Hardin's Bike Shop co-owner Ken Hardin said that he frequently hears about cases of bike theft in Muncie.
"Roughly twice a week somebody will call with info on a bike or just tell us to be on the lookout," Hardin said.
According to the University Police Department, 31 bikes were reported stolen during the 2005-2006 school year. This number, however, does not account for the many more bikes thefts that go unreported.
Walker's housemate Andrew Delahanty, who also had his bike stolen, said that most bike thefts go unreported because victims don't think that their bikes will ever be found.
"The popular opinion of what the police tell you when you report a stolen bike is that 99 percent of these cases don't get solved," Delahanty said.
Police Sergeant Rhonda Clark said it's important to mark your bike so that it is identifiable in the event of a theft.
"Students should mark their bicycle in a unique manner and keep serial numbers on campus in case the bicycle is stolen," Clark said. "Our department offers bicycle registration for $1, and we maintain the records in case we need serial numbers or any other information that is provided."
Aaron Kirk of Kirk's Bike Shop said the best way to keep your bike safe is to be aware that it is always vulnerable to theft.
"We recommend locking your bike up, but another thing that's really important is to keep it inside," Kirk said. "Don't leave it on the back porch or whatever."
"Shackle-type u-locks are the safest," Hardin said. "They're a little more cumbersome to deal with, but they're more high security."
"The u-lock protects against bolt cutters," he added.
According to Kirk, it's also important to lock your bike up properly.
"If you have quick release tires, the best thing to do is make sure you get the cable thru both tires and the frame and then whatever you're locking on," Kirk said. "You at least want to get it through the back tire and the frame and whatever you're locking it to."
Still, as many students have found, a bike lock alone will not necessarily protect a bike from theft.
"If someone wants your bike bad enough, they'll find a way to get it," Hardin said.
Hardin said that where people lock up their bikes is as important as how they lock them up.
"Just use the general area common sense," Hardin said. "Stay in well-lighted areas. If it looks like a rough neighborhood, don't lock it up. Try to lock it in a place where there's a lot of foot traffic."
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