UNM is an ideal campus for bike-riders, but even more so for bike thieves.
From Jan. 1 to Oct. 4, 118 bikes have been reported stolen, said UNMPD spokesman Lt. Robert Haarhues. He said although high, bike theft rates have not increased this year. He said it is unlikely a stolen bike would be recovered.
“It’s a pretty typical year,” he said. “Probably one bike a day gets stolen. It’s not common that people get their bikes back. That requires people to register their bikes.”
Haarhues said a U-lock is the best defense for cyclists, and most bikes stolen at UNM are protected by cable or chain locks.
The total value of bicycles reported stolen on campus so far this year exceeds $72,200. The average bike reported stolen is valued at $612. Out of the bikes reported stolen, 19 are valued at more than $1,000, while only 10 were valued at $100 or less.
And just three of the 118 bikes reported stolen since January have been recovered.
Karen Tapia, who registers bikes with the police department, said few students register bikes. She said about 50 unregistered bikes are sitting in storage and those unclaimed are auctioned off to conserve storage room.
“(Students register) if mom and dad tell them to, or if they just get a new bike,” Tapia said. “I would say I have had one person in the last two weeks register a bike.”
Haarhues said owning an inexpensive bike prevents theft.
“I wouldn’t bring a really expensive bike here,” Haarhues said. “A lot of people come over here with a $3,000 or $2,000 bike, and they buy a $5 lock. These high-priced mountain bikes or road bikes, you got to lock that as well as you can.”
Student Andy Scholl said his bike was stolen outside the law school building.
“I had a circular lock on a marine anchor chain,” he said. “The chain was huge, and I was almost embarrassed to be using it. It seemed a bit over the top as far as precautionary measures.”
Despite his security measures, he said his bike was stolen during the day, while he was on campus, and it has not been returned.
“The first day I brought the lock down, it was cut, and my $600 road bike was stolen,” Scholl said.
Typically, Haarhues said, bike theft occurs during the day.
“That’s when most of them are stolen, because that’s when everyone’s in class,” he said.
Student Chris Barnicle said he rides his bike to school twice a week, but is not concerned about bike theft.
“I fell pretty safe, especially if I lock it near a bunch of other bikes,” he said. “I’d like to think someone would say something if they saw another person stealing a bike. By trusting other students, I’d like to think my bike is all right.”
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Two golfers helped in the arrest of a man suspected of stealing bikes from North Campus on Wednesday, according to UNMPD.
Police apprehended Dennis Trujillo, 39, because he had a backpack with two bolt cutters and a bike pump, tools consistent with the burglary of bicycles, according to police.
Police said Trujillo’s brother, Ronald, 37, is an accomplice to the crime, but he successfully escaped arrest on a small red bicycle.
Doris Cordova, a Mind Research Network employee, told UNMPD on Wednesday that she saw two men acting suspiciously by a bicycle rack near the building and described them to police.
Detective Chris Crespin responded to the call. He stopped in front of the men, exited his vehicle, identified himself as a police officer and told the men to stop, according to the report. The two suspects refused Crespin’s order and fled, the report said.
Dennis Trujillo fled on foot toward the golf course, and his brother went northbound on Stanford Drive N.E., according to the report.
Trujillo has previously been arrested on charges ranging from possession of narcotics and paraphernalia, breaking and entering, auto burglary and criminal trespassing, according to Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court.
After calling for assistance, Crespin pursued Trujillo onto the golf course. He again stopped his vehicle in front of Trujillo and ordered him to stop, but Trujillo refused, according to the report. Crespin exited his vehicle and tried to detain Trujillo, but he resisted arrest, the report said.
According to the report, Crespin saw two golfers nearby and yelled for help. The golfers, Wilber Orem and Casey Orem, assisted Crespin in taking Trujillo down to the ground, where he was held until backup arrived, according to the report.
After the arrest, Trujillo told Crespin that the man who fled on the bike was his brother, Ronnie.
According to the report, Trujillo was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on charges of possession of burglary tools, and resisting, evading and obstructing an officer. A warrant was issued for his brother on the same charges.
