Chippewa Valley Times

Campus police at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire have implemented a GPS-based monitoring system to address ongoing bike theft on campus. Police chief Amanda Carrier explained, “It’s always a positive step to do something proactive to tackle a problem, and for bike theft on campus, we have been taking a strongly proactive approach.”

The initiative, known as the Bait Bike program, uses bikes equipped with hidden GPS trackers. According to Carrier, “We call it our Bait Bike program, a GPS tracking-based system that allows us to equip ‘bait bikes’ with a tiny GPS unit which we can easily track as soon as that bike is moved from its location.” The technology is leased from an outside provider. Incoming students are informed about the program during summer orientation and receive stickers for their bikes stating “This may be a Bait Bike” along with the campus police logo.

Carrier noted that not all bait bikes display the sticker: “The trick is that some of our bait bikes have the sticker on them and some don’t. Sadly, we have several repeat offenders taking bikes in this area, and that uncertainty with the stickers has proven to be an effective deterrent.”

Bike theft remains consistent in Eau Claire and on campus. Since January 2023, there have been 24 reported bike thefts on campus; 13 involved successful bait bike recoveries. Four incidents occurred within the last month. Carrier said since 2023 there have been 80 documented theft cases involving various items such as bikes, laptops, jewelry, purses, money, clothing, scooters, vehicle plates and headphones.

“Campus theft is less prevalent than general community numbers, but we still want to remind students of the best ways to keep their bikes as resistant to theft as possible — again, prevention is always the best course when possible,” Carrier stated.

Carrier emphasized registering bicycles by serial number upon arrival on campus and promptly reporting stolen bikes: “Campus shares a database of registered bikes with the cities of Eau Claire, Altoona and Fall Creek,” she said. This shared registration increases chances of recovering lost or stolen property if it turns up elsewhere.

Students are also encouraged to secure their bicycles only at official racks using U-Lock style locks instead of cable locks; remove valuable accessories; check on locked bikes regularly; avoid leaving them during academic breaks; use well-lit areas at night; and report any theft immediately.

The university highlights its extensive network of bike paths and trails as part of its appeal for those living or studying in Eau Claire. Campus police urge everyone to follow these security measures year-round for safer biking experiences.