Austin ranks 13th on America’s Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities by the Alliance for Biking and Walking and the League of American Bicyclists. Since this ranking has been published, the number of Austin has only increased. However, as the number of cyclists in Austin grows, so does the number of bike thefts.

Thankfully for students who commute to and from St. Edward’s, there are effective programs and procedures in place to ensure the security of your bicycles. The latest advancement, being performed free of charge, is adding a decal to your biking and registering it with the St. Edward’s University Police Department. Students can take their bikes to UPD (in Holy Cross Hall) to register it into a secure database. Upon registration, students place a decal on their bike as well as have their driver’s license or state ID number engraved on it.

Since the school year has begun, six people have taken advantage of this free service. It is highly encouraged to register your bike so that, in event of a theft, recovered property can be easily returned to the rightful owner.

“This is a voluntary program,” Crime Prevention Officer Cpl Alice Gilroy said. “And although it’s not required, I highly recommend everyone to get a bike decal because it will deter anyone from wanting to steal a registered bicycle.”

Students can also take their laptops, phones, iPods and cameras to UPD to be engraved with their driver’s license or state ID number. Other important features to have are brand names, serial numbers, make and model information, notes of any distinct features and pictures of valuable belongings written down and saved somewhere safe. This is a precaution in case students should ever be unfortunate enough to need to file a police report for stolen items.

Although Austin is nationally ranked as the fourth safest city of its size, Gilroy still offers some general advice for all St. Edward’s students:

“Do not leave your bike or dorm room unlocked at any time,” she said. “Whether you are away for one minute or 10, you are still leaving a window of opportunity for a thief to strike.”

For those considering alternative methods of transportation other than by bus or foot, Austin are encouraging cycling as a method of transport, with many bike lanes around the city.

“Bike lanes are very versatile and bike riding is also environmental friendly and a great form of exercise,” graduate student Christine Lacayo said. “Don’t forget to wear a helmet and be sure to get registered with UPD and get a bike decal.”

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