The Madison Police Department reported exceptionally high numbers of moped thefts on campus since the start of the semester and warned students Tuesday about the consequences of not properly securing vehicles.
Dale Burke, assistant chief of the University of Wisconsin Police Department, said mopeds are continually problematic because of their sheer numbers and popularity on campus.
"Mopeds that aren't secured properly obviously present more of an opportunity for somebody to steal them," Burke said. "That creates problems whether we have more mopeds or not."
MPD Public Information Officer Mike Hanson said in a press release that between 20 and 30 mopeds have been reported stolen since classes began. But Burke added those figures do not include mopeds reported stolen to the UWPD.
According to Burke, thieves often "hot-wire" the vehicles, which are not well secured and simply take them away. To prevent theft, he added, students should be sure to put a lock through the rear wheel and attach it to a fixed object.
"Anything to make it more difficult for a thief would be recommended," Burke said.
Yet many students, he said, do not take the necessary precautions and could easily become victims of theft. UW Sophomore Howie Shaw said he owns a lock big enough to hook the vehicle to a fixed object, but usually just puts the lock around the back tire. However, Shaw also said moped thefts are not something he worries about.
"I don't worry about it too much because there are much better mopeds — mine's pretty shitty," he said. "But I lock it up anyway."
Despite the rise of moped thefts at UW, Burke said it is not an issue at other Big Ten schools. Since the small, convenient vehicles were introduced, he added, they became popular on campus and continue to line the streets today. And Burke said their popularity has shown no signs of letting up.
"I have noticed on my travels around the Big Ten and across the country that there aren't a lot of other places where mopeds have the popularity they do here — why that is, I don't know," he said. "But we keep trying to make things better and safer as best we can to make sure people's property is protected."
