UIPD warns of bike and scooter theft on campus

By Mona Alrazzaq

The University of Illinois Police Department has recently warned students about the theft of electronic scooters and bicycles on campus this past week.

Three electronic scooters, all stand-on style, have been reported stolen on the University’s campus. In two out of the three thefts, the scooter was not properly secured to a rack.

However, the third incident involved a scooter valued at $2,000 that was properly secured. In this incident, someone cut the cable lock securing the scooter to a bicycle rack.

All of the incidents of scooter theft occurred throughout the day, with the UIPD also noting that “a number of bicycles have been reported stolen throughout the semester.”

Two separate instances include student’s bicycles, with estimated values of over $600, reportedly being stolen overnight outside of a dorm hall despite being locked to racks. Another instance consisted of a student’s bike being stolen outside of a laboratory.

Students who use bicycles, scooters, and skateboards on campus have expressed concern regarding the reported thefts and have even taken it into their own hands to attempt to retrieve their stolen items.

One Reddit user posted that they found their stolen bike by scrolling through Facebook marketplace and seeing somebody was selling it. The police told the user they couldn’t do anything about this since he did not know the serial number of the bicycle, and many users responded that they had similar experiences.

The UIPD also encouraged students to take care of their belongings by properly securing and locking them in addition to leaving them unattended for limited amounts of time.

Any person with information is suggested to contact the University of Illinois Police Department at 217-351-4545. If they choose to remain anonymous, they can also call Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-8477 (373-TIPS).