I thought people might be interested in and possibly delighted by this story from the university where I teach and to which I commute by bike. As is the case at many campuses, ours is a playground for bike thieves. Unlike many campuses, it looks like our police have decided to do something meaningful about it.

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Bait Bike serving as theft deterrent

Sept. 8, 2008

by John Lucas

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department (UWPD) has a new, high-tech answer to the decades-old problem of campus bicycle thefts.

In May 2008, the department began placing bikes equipped with GPS units in places around campus where other thefts have been reported.

When a GPS-equipped bike is taken from its location, police are notified that the bike is moving. An officer then logs on to a computer showing a map of the area and dispatches other officers to the bike's location.

"We're hopeful that this piece of technology can help us deter thieves," says Sgt. Jason Whitney of UWPD. "Madison is one of the best biking cities in the world. We want students to have peace of mind knowing that if they bring a bike here, they will leave with it at the end of the school year."

The program, created by Police Officer John Deering, is showing positive early results. From January 2007 to May 2008, the UW-Madison police took reports of a total of 100 reported bike thefts. During the 2007-2008 academic year, only one person was arrested for a bike theft.

With the GPS program in place, 16 arrests had been made between May and August 1.

UWPD has purchased more GPS units so multiple areas around campus can be covered at the same time. Roger Charly and his company, Budget Bicycles, are donating bicycles for the project.

As an added deterrent, UWPD is creating stickers reading, "This could be a Bait Bike." The police will be handing out the stickers to students to have them placed on bikes all around campus.

Stickers are available at UWPD and Budget Bicycles.

Awesome!

I want to know where I can buy a GPS unit for my own bike. I'll dispatch some "officers" if it shows movement. *cough*

I would settle for some of the "This might be a Bait Bike" stickers (cheaper than the GPS)

Aaron

I want that sticker.

Are these bikes locked or left unlocked?

I've heard they're locked. But temptingly badly.

Thank you Officer John Deering!

So to all of you guys who want to take possibly abandoned bikes from bike racks-- it could be theft!

I saw what I suspect is a "bait bike" at a college in my neighborhood. A very shiny new road bike. A five dollar cable lock. It sits at the most visible bike rack on campus, even on week-ends, holidays and school breaks. It is next to the campus police office, under a security camera.

I've been tempted just to go stand NEXT to it to see how quickly the campus police take to jump on me.

But, all in all, I like the "bait bike" concept.

Even if they really are abandoned, it is still legally theft.

GOOD. I despise the police "stings" I've seen where they park an nice bike unlocked in the ghetto then arrest the first idiot who walks by and takes it. They aren't picking up real bike thieves, just the lowest criminal of opportunity.

Even if its secured with a weak cable lock, the thief would have to have some cable cutters on him, implying he's a serious thief.

Yes! I'd heard of this in the UK, but this is the first time I've of it in the US. Hopefully, this practice will spread. As much as I hate the Homeland Security, surveillance society mentality that has taken hold in this country, this is an appropriate use of tracking technology and police resources that I can get behind. Perhaps we should all start a letter writing campaign to our local governments requesting this kind of program?

Coooooooool.

I actually had the passing thought about how it would be cool to have gps on your bike in this matter.To see this post is very exciting.

That's awesome. I'd pay to get some of those stickers, too.

I've been wanting a GPS tracker for my bike if I'm ever traveling with it, and just in general. That way if for some reason my bike doesn't end up with me at the next airport I'll be able to contact police and find out where it is and get it back..or locked up in evidence and enough money to buy a new bike...

+1. Securing the bike separates the joyriders from the thieves.

You could probably make one. It'd need to be localized for your area, anyway. Having an NYPD bait bike sticker when you're in Los Angeles wouldn't make a whole lot of sense.

I'd like the GPS thing, although I almost never park my bikes where they're likely to be stolen. One that integrates into an Edge 705-like device would be pretty slick.

Uhhh, "joyriding" is still theft. Or should I suppose you wouldn't mind if you left your bike unlocked and came out to find it gone, as long as it had been taken by a "joyrider" and not a "thief"?

Here's what the sticker looks like. Getting mine today. Cool design I think. That thing on the right is University of Wisconsin mascot Bucky Badger in a police uniform. Don't get busted by Bucky!

If they sell those bait bike stickers they had better put some on the actual bait bikes as well.... Otherwise you would be marking your bike as not a bait bike....

I had a similar idea once, except it involved less police and more sitting behind some bushes with a baseball bat.

Cool, I wonder it will be Bait Laptops next.

You mean real bait bikes don't advertise that they're real bait bikes?