University of South Carolina Libraries
nl O 0 1 L. c 0 o% N V, ro cR co ao Z4 0 Bike th BY SCOTT DERKS This afternoon one -- possibly two -- ten-speed bicycles will disappear from this campus. It happens almost everyday at USC. As regular as the meter maids' rounds and traffic jams, someone -- possibly an organized group -- will steal a bike. Twenty-four have been reported stolen since summer school began. The campus police have made no arrests. Danny Baker of the Campus Police says increased police staffing will make little difference. "I think the manpower is adequate." Baker said. "If you want to steal a bike, I could increase the force by 50 men and you could still get Dne.'' One of the biggest problems, B.aker maintains, is the inadequate locks that are used. They can be easily snapped by a thief, providing little Drotection for an expensive bike. A series 600 American pad lock is ecommended when coupled with a hree-eighths inch chain. The local tores sell the outfit for $20 to $25 so he campus police will begin selling ecurity lock and chains at a reduced -ate within the next month. Baker said a price has not been set. V.V 24 Stolen This Month f b Lefm 1CI Daily students are tinding out that stolen bikes are not someone else's problem. John Boettcher enjoyed a leisurely trip to Bell Camp carrying a light chain for the long-distance ride. On his trip back home he stopped by the library. "When I came out of McKissick I saw this group playing with my lock. They must have seen me ride up because I went in and came right back out. "I tried to act nonchalant and go back in to call the police but they ran." Boettcher said. He did not report the incident because he said he was not able to see any of the four's faces. Ted Hubbard wasn't as lucky. "I parked my bike at South in one of the racks. The lock I had was of poor quality and it was snapped with bolt cutters." The useless chain was left on the ground where the month-old five speed had stood. Insurance played for Hubbard's bike, he was covered under his father's home owner's policy, but large'numbers of students are finding they are not covereo and have no way to make up for the loss -- normally ranging from $75 to $300. Some students have started plan ting bikes in an effort to catch the bike-nabbers. "I don't like the sound of the word vigilante -- it reminds me of the K KK or Black Panthers or something -- but if we plant a bike and catch someone, we'll call the police all right. But not until we have fully discussed the matter with the guy we catch." one long-haired student said. The campus police have increased patrols near the bicycles racks, but Baker maintains that students are the only ones who can stop the stealing. "What we don't understand is why nio one ever sees," Baker said. The bikes are frequently stolen in broad laylight. During the past two weeks a len-speed disappeared from the Business School around noon, a Raleigh was lifted from Hamilton around 10 a.m. and another expensive bike was stolen from the Russell House around 2 p.m. Police say there is no pattern to the thiefs. And even more troubling, the aikes don't seem to show up again around town, leading many students to believe that a gang is stealing the ikes and moving them to other owns. "If people would just call when they s '14 f7.' easing notice someone hanging around the bike rack," Baker said. "If they would just give us a chance to check it out." David Childs, who lost his 10-speed bike in a thief two weeks ago, says "I guess if you're going to buy a hot bike you'd get a 10-speed." Three bikes were stolen from his backporch while he and his room mates slept. The city police recovered his roommate's three-speed and five speeds and arrested two Columbia youths -- both black -- in connection with the thief. Childs bike was not recovered. ''When they caught this one guy riding the bike, they went to his house and found five bikes stripped, so apparently they were selling the parts.'' Childs, who lives off campus, did not report the thief to the campus police. His lost is not among the reported 24. Joe Azar, owner of the Cyclists, has planted bikes on two occasions. The first time he had a ''bite.'' ''We tied up my bike outside the Russell House and had guys just scattered around. It was just a few minutes before we had a bite. ''First two guys came in and sat down next too it. Then two more walked down the street and sat down like they were just going to talk. ''I guess we could have caught them stealing, but they were banging the lock against the bike. I kept hearing it go ''CLUNK.'' I just couldn't stand to hear them do that.'' Azar said. The group of seven blacks scattered quickly when Azar stepped into the middle of the group to claim his bike. ''They went around the corner of the Russell House and they must have taken off because we went after them and they were gone.'' Azar said. Azar said more bikes will be planted in an ef fort to stop the thievne