Dalhousie University students grapple with bike theft

Claire Tyner, a fourth-year student at Dalhousie University, has had two bikes stolen off of her front porch this year. She is one of many students in Halifax impacted by bicycle theft. 

“[It’s] not fun to wake up to,” Tyner said. “It’s just disheartening to know that there are people around us that would go out of their way to take away someone’s main form of transportation.”

Due to the likelihood of it happening again, Tyner said she will only be purchasing cheap bikes going forward.

Cara Cripton-Inglis, co-president of the Dalhousie Bike Society, has noticed a rise in bicycle thefts.

“I think the overall reaction to the spike in bike thefts both on campus and around Halifax has scared everyone,” she said. “For a lot of people, especially students, your bike allows you a lot of agency in getting around at a relatively low cost.”

Over the summer, the Halifax Regional Police recovered approximately 40 stolen bicycles from an encampment on Barrington Street. The HRP recovered more stolen bicycles from the same location in September. 

In an online release, the HRP suggested cyclists make a record of as much information on their bike as they can, “including the serial number, make, model, speed, colour, and any distinguishing markings,” the release said. Police said knowing this information makes it easier to recover stolen bikes. 

The Dalhousie Gazette reached out to the HRP’s public information officer, Martin Cromwell, for information on bike theft in Halifax, but he declined to comment. 

Cripton-Inglis and the bike society have been brainstorming ways to help curb bike thefts on campus and around Halifax. She said, “The best resource for anyone with a bike is a program called 529 Garage.”

Project 529 Garage is a database that aims to reduce bike theft. The database allows people to register their bikes, allowing them to be easily identified if stolen. 

“In fact, they have made a specific post on what to do if your bike is stolen in Halifax,” Cripton-Inglis said.

529 Garage connects with local law enforcement, universities, bike clubs and shops across the country to help cyclists recover their stolen bikes. 

Megan Cooper is the president of the Dalhousie Outdoors Society. 

“There’s definitely been a significant increase in bike thefts on campus this year,” Cooper said. “Neither the university nor Halifax police have responded in a meaningful way, which is really unfortunate considering the many positives of commuting by bike.”

The Gazette reached out to Dalhousie Security for information about what they are doing to prevent bike theft on campus, but they did not respond to requests for comment. 

Cooper believes that students often commute by bike because it’s “a whole lot of fun.” She frequently commutes by bike and has some ideas for how to prevent bike theft on campus. 

“More secure bike storage on campus would be ideal, but there are also a few things students can do to reduce risk,” Cooper said. “I suggest locking your bike in a highly visible/busy location, using a U-lock and passing through both the frame and back wheel of your ride.”