The Purdue Factorial

Bike theft at Purdue University is as predictable as a line at Harry’s Chocolate Shop on a Friday night—relentless, frustrating, and seemingly inevitable. For students who rely on bicycles to dart between classes, the recurring problem of theft has become an unfortunate rite of passage. Who’s stealing these bikes? Where are they going? And, most importantly, how can we keep them safe?

Who’s Stealing Bikes and Where Do They End Up?

Let’s talk about the culprits. Bike thieves at Purdue are a mixed bag. Sometimes, it’s students. In one infamous case, two Purdue football players were caught red-handed trying to snag free bikes [3]. But more often, outsiders target the campus, drawn by the endless racks of bikes and occasional lax security.

Where do these stolen bikes go? Many show up on online marketplaces like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or eBay. Others are stripped for parts and sold piece by piece, making them harder to trace. Some bikes even end up in entirely different cities—or states—where they are sold far from campus. Your beloved ride could end up cruising the streets of Chicago while you’re stuck walking in the cold to your 8 a.m.

Why Bikes Vanish on Campus

It’s easy to see why bikes are such an easy target. They’re portable, valuable, and, let’s face it, not always secured properly. Purdue’s campus is a treasure trove for thieves, with rows of bikes parked outside dorms and lecture halls. According to Purdue University Police Department (PUPD) crime logs, bike theft is one of the most reported property crimes on campus [1]. Theft hotspots include the CoRec, residence halls, and even some well-lit spots like the Union.

If you scroll through Purdue’s subreddit, you’ll find plenty of stories. For example, students frequently share tales of flimsy locks being cut or poorly secured bikes disappearing entirely. Others have shared tales of bikes ending up in trees. Yep, that happens [2].

How to Spot a Secure Setup

We looked around campus to document the difference between well-secured and poorly secured bikes. Here’s what we found:

• Great Security: Bikes locked with sturdy U-locks that secured both the frame and at least one wheel to an immovable rack. Some owners even added cable locks to protect the second wheel.

• Not-So-Great Security: Bikes with flimsy cable locks or locks securing just the front wheel (thieves can remove the wheel). The worst? Bikes with no lock at all, just leaning casually against the rack.

The takeaway? A solid lock setup can mean the difference between riding home and walking.

What Purdue Is Doing

PUPD encourages students to register their bikes with the 529 Garage program, a free service that helps track stolen bikes. They also ask students to report thefts online, which is helpful but doesn’t stop the thefts from happening in the first place [4]. Another layer of confusion? The university impounds bikes parked incorrectly, leaving some students thinking their bike was stolen when it was just relocated to the Surplus Store.

Purdue has installed a few bike lockers at the Discovery Parking Lot, but secure storage options remain scarce across campus. Many students have expressed frustration over the lack of widely available, secure storage.

While these efforts help, they’re mostly reactive. Students have been calling for better security measures—such as surveillance at high-risk areas—and more secure storage options.

Tips to Keep Your Ride Safe

Until the campus takes bigger steps, here’s how to keep your bike from disappearing:

• Invest in a sturdy U-lock and pair it with a cable lock for extra protection.

• Always lock your frame and both wheels.

• Strip your bike of anything removable, like seats or lights, when you park.

• Avoid leaving your bike overnight in open racks—especially at hotspots like the CoRec.

If your bike does get stolen, don’t give up. Check online marketplaces and keep an eye on Purdue forums. Some students have even spotted their stolen bikes for sale and worked with PUPD to recover them.

The Takeaway

Bike theft at Purdue isn’t inevitable. With better campus resources and some smart personal strategies, you can make it a lot harder for thieves to operate. Until then, keep your bike locked up and skip the cheap cable locks.

Sources

[1] Purdue University Police Department Crime Logs, Accessed February 1, 2025.
[2] Reddit (r/Purdue), Student stories, including the post titled “PSA: Don’t let your bike get stolen (or treed)!”, Accessed January 29, 2025.
[3] CBS4 Indy, Coverage of Purdue students caught stealing bikes, Accessed January 29,2025.
[4] 529 Garage Program, Official Purdue initiative for bike registration, Accessed February 1, 2025
[5] Google Street View, Image of Discovery Lot Bike Lockers, Accessed February 1, 2025
[6] http://www.poorlylockedbikes.com, Examples of poorly locked bikes, Accessed February 1, 2025
[7] Wikimedia Commons, Image of bike with stolen wheels, Accessed February 2, 2025