About a dozen bicycles were stolen from the Princeton Junction train station this summer. That?s a small fraction of the 100 or so bikes locked there every day, but still very frustrating for the victims.
How to fight back:
- Use a good lock. Or two. Even the most expensive lock can?t guarantee that your bike won?t be stolen, but thieves prefer easier targets and are less likely to have two types of tools to tackle two types of locks. Cable locks are easier to cut. Combination locks are easy to open.
- Lock your front and rear wheels. Make sure your U-lock is on tight and that the space within it is filled with your frame, spokes and security post, leaving no room for a bottle jack to get in and break it.
- Think about where you lock your bike. A thief can lift your locked bike over a short pole. Use bike racks!
There are many videos online with tips on what makes for a good (or bad) technique when locking your bike. Here are two:
Hal (and Kerri) Grade Your Bike Locking
How to Stop Your Bike from Being Stolen
Remember to register your bike online with the West Windsor Police Department. If it is stolen, having the serial number on file makes identification easier if it is recovered.
Finally, the WWBPA is working with New Jersey Transit and others to add 10 lockers at the station as well as extra bike racks. Let us know your ideas of how to make the train station and other areas around town safer.