About 240 UF students won’t find their bicycles today where they last left them, but it’s not because they were stolen. They were probably collected under the supervision of University Police by the university’s Physical Plant Division.
The second abandoned bike pickup of the school year took place Monday. Police tagged bicycles that had rusted chains, flat tires and missing wheels last week with notices giving students five days to remove the markers before their bikes were impounded.
UPD Capt. Jeff Holcomb said the bikes were removed by physical plant employees and taken in dump trucks to a plant compound on campus.
Owners can claim their bikes within 30 days after they are removed before they are given to UF Surplus Warehouse to be auctioned. If a bike registered with UPD is collected, police will notify the owner.
He said there are usually three or four pickups a year. Pickups in Fall and Spring semesters are concentrated around classroom buildings.
Holcomb said students returning for summer shouldn’t leave their bikes behind either. Another pickup is planned for May 10 at UF residence halls.
In 2010, UPD collected almost 600 bikes left for summer, Holcomb said.
