Campus Safety is adding extra patrols near bike racks to stop the escalating theft of bicycles on campus.

“We have had somewhere between 10 and 20 bikes stolen since this fall,” said Cpl. Robert Meeks.

“We have tried stakeouts near the bikes, but didn’t catch anyone,” Meeks said. “The patrols are helping though. The thefts have leveled off a little bit.”

During the first week of class this quarter, two student bikes were stolen from campus.

Campus Safety is urging students to register their bikes, and lock them securely with a kryptonite “U” lock. A chain with 5/16-inch-thick links with a lock is also acceptable, but thieves can easily break cables or padlocks.

“We’ve been doing individual patrols and found many insecure bikes,” Meeks said.

When a theft occurs, Campus Safety and the Denver Police Department have information that may lead to the identification and recovery of the bike.

Also, registration helps a student collect insurance if the student’s bike is stolen but has been listed on the parents’ homeowner’s policy.