University Police will soon be on the prowl for bikes left on campus over Summer break.
Officers will impound all unused bikes around campus beginning in about a week and continuing into the Summer A term, UPD Capt. Jeff Holcomb said.
“The easiest thing for everyone is just take the bike home with you,” Holcomb said.
Police will scope out areas around residence halls and put bright orange tags on bikes in the areas, he said. Students can remove the tags, and the bikes will not be impounded.
Holcomb said he encourages students to register their bikes with the department, which can be done by patrolling officers or by visiting its office.
The registration process is simple: a UF decal is put on the bike. Then, the bicycle’s serial number, make, model and other general details are entered into the database and the owners’ contact information is recorded, Holcomb said.
If a registered bike is impounded by UPD during the summer, the owner will be emailed and given an opportunity to pick up the bike within 30 days before it is sold into auction, Holcomb said.
Bike Works, a local bike shop, is offering students another alternative.
The shop, located at 2300 SW 34th St., is charging $10 a month to store students’ bicycles at its facility during the summer.
Tony Cousins, manager of Bike Works, said the shop offers a safe and secure place to store the bikes.
Kevin Montes, a 20-year-old UF physics sophomore, said he needs to find a place for his bike so he doesn’t have to leave it on campus and risk it being impounded.
“Sure, my bike isn’t worth much to others, but she’s gotten me through this semester,” Montes said. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her for another one.”
[A version of this story ran on page 19 on 4/23/2014 under the headline "UPD to begin taking unused bikes"]
