UMBC Bike Registration Program Gets Rolling

When classes started at last week, the campus rolled out a new bicycle registration program intended to help owners recover cycles that are lost or stolen.

"It's a great program," said UMBC Police officer Richard Stevens, a member of the department's bike team. "It'll really help us out a lot."

The free program allows students, faculty and staff to register their bicycles with UMBC Police. The serial number from the bicycle will be entered into a computerized database, and an identification sticker placed on the bike, Stevens said.

Bicycles have a unique serial number stamped on the frame.

"People don't write the serial number down," Stevens said. "That's the biggest problem."

The program will help return bicycles to their owners when they are found on campus, and identify bikes when they are stolen, he said.

More than two dozen bicycle owners have taken advantage of the program so far.

"We're still getting the word out," Stevens said. "I expect to get things to get busy this weekend, after students have had time to settle in and get through a week of classes."

To register a bicycle, call UMBC Police at 410-455-5555 or visit the police department between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.