At least seven reports of stolen e-scooters, bicycles, and e-bikes in the month of October led UNC Police to issue a campus-wide alert warning of the thefts.

The university shared an Alert Carolina message Tuesday morning, saying campus police are investigating “multiple thefts” of scooters and bikes across several spots on campus. Police said no suspect descriptions are available at this time and did not indicate whether the thefts are connected.

According to the UNC Police Crime Log, which tracks 911 calls to the campus department, a pair of e-scooter thefts were reported at Granville Towers on Sunday and Monday — with five other reports of similar stolen motor vehicles at Carmichael, Craige and Parker Residence Halls, Greenlaw Hall and Fetzer Gym since Oct. 1.

The thefts are just the latest to happen on the Chapel Hill campus with the rise in popularity of electric scooters and bikes in recent years. UNC Police warned of similar thefts in March, with a rash of thefts reported in  in Nov. 2022 and Sep. 2023.

UNC requires electric scooter-users on campus to park their motor vehicles in designated areas and to register them through the campus Transportation & Parking Department. The university says doing so, as well as using a U-lock or other secure devices when storing a scooter, should help prevent thefts or aid recovery efforts in case they are lost. While registering e-bikes is not required, the university encourages owners to still do it because it improves authorities ability to recover it if stolen.

Additional safety tips shared by the university include:

  • Using a secondary lock for the wheels of the vehicles
  • Choosing well-lit or popular areas to park e-bikes and scooters next to each other
  • Installing a GPS tracker on the e-bike or e-scooter
  • Modifying the bike or scooter with unique identifiers, like stickers or accessories, which makes it harder to sell

More e-scooter safety information through UNC can be found here, and bicycle safety information can be found here.

Campus police said Tuesday anyone with information potentially helpful to the ongoing investigation is encouraged to call the Criminal Investigations Division at 919-966-2120. If anyone notices “suspicious activity” around bike racks or the scooter parking areas, they are encouraged to call 911 immediately.

 

Photo by Brighton McConnell/Chapel Hill Media Group.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
102 COVID-19 Cases Among UNC's Granville Towers Residents, Cluster in Carmichael Residence Hall
Granville Towers is one of the UNC residence hall communities experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19. On Friday, students learned the extent of the cases. According to an email sent to Granville Towers residents, Carolina Housing said the two apartment towers have totaled 102 positive coronavirus cases as of Thursday. The Daily Tar Heel, which obtained […]
UNC Housing Plan Falls in CDC's 'Highest Risk' Tier of COVID-19 Spread
As the UNC community prepare for the fall semester to begin next month, one of the many questions is how many students will return to live on campus amid the COVID-19 pandemic. UNC’s residence halls will be open at full capacity, according to WRAL. That puts the buildings in the ‘highest risk’ category for the spread […]
Parker, Teague Dorms Set for Replacement in UNC's Housing Renewal; BOT Approves Initial Funds
As UNC revamps its on-campus housing to build more units and update residence halls, Parker and Teague are set to be town down for a new dorm.
By The Numbers: UNC's Lead Testing Efforts in Drinking Water
The academic year is behind the UNC community, as is one of the biggest storylines to come from campus since last summer: the presence of lead in drinking water fixtures. The university finished testing every fixture on campus in April and officials made a presentation to the Board of Trustees on Wednesday about the process, […]
UNC Police Searching for Suspect in Dorm Room Robbery
The UNC Police Department is investigating a robbery reported in one of the campus’ residence halls on Tuesday night. An Alert Carolina message sent to the university community said police received a report around 8 p.m. from a student in Morrison Residence Hall, which is off Paul Hardin Drive and Manning Drive. According to the […]
UNC Leadership Provides Details of Remote Learning Move at Faculty Meeting
The UNC Faculty Executive Committee had scheduled an emergency meeting for Monday even before the university decided to move to a remote learning model for the rest of the fall semester. During it, UNC leadership provided insight and details into how the change will be conducted. Classes for the fall semester began at UNC one […]
Report: 3 UNC Students Kicked Out of Dorms for Violating Health Standards
A recent profile of UNC’s return of students for the fall semester revealed the university has revoked housing privileges of some students who failed to follow public health guidelines. A report from the Washington Post published Tuesday revealed three students are no longer in on-campus housing after violating the standards agreed to by all students […]
UNC Launches Website Detailing Return for Fall Semester
UNC launched a new website Thursday afternoon for Carolina Together, the university’s plan for the campus community to recover and adjust to a ‘new normal’ amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The website lays out plans for students, faculty and staff to return to campus, which university leadership is calling the Roadmap for Fall of 2020. It […]
UNC Cancels Class, Shuts Down Campus Through Tuesday Amid Winter Storm Fern
On Sunday, UNC announced it would extend its Condition 2 status for campus through 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 27 based on icy conditions.
UNC Police: 'Multiple' Scooter, Bike Thefts on Reported Campus in October
At least seven reports of stolen e-scooters, bicycles, and e-bikes in the month of October led UNC Police to issue a campus-wide alert.
›