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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Ann Arbor police are investigating reports that almost as many bicycles have been stolen from the University of Michigan in July as in the previous six months combined.
From Jan. 1 to June 30, there were 30 reports of bikes being stolen on the Ann Arbor campus, the lowest number since 2009. Since the beginning of July, 25 additional bikes have been stolen, The Ann Arbor News (http://bit.ly/1tFwPjb ) reported.
The university has traditionally seen around 10 bicycle theft reports in July.
Diane Brown, the Division of Public Safety and Security spokeswoman, said something is awry, and the university is determined to find out why this is happening.
Lt. Ed Dreslinski said the department hasn't noticed a noticeable uptick of bicycle theft reports across Ann Arbor. One or two reports are typical each day.
"I'm not aware of any unusual amounts, but they're a pretty common occurrence," he said.
Brown suggested bike owners invest in a U-bolt lock. She said out of the 55 bicycles stolen from campus this year, most were either unlocked or locked with a cable.
"Cable locks are not an effective device," she said. "Either thieves can cut through them with bolt cutters or they can stomp on them just right and they will break."
Bicycle owners can also register their bikes through the university, which Brown said this could deter thieves from stealing them.
Ann Arbor police will continue to investigate.
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Information from: The Ann Arbor News, http://www.mlive.com/ann-arbor
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