Students, Faculty, and Staff:
The UNC Police Department is investigating multiple thefts of e-scooters, bikes and e-bikes that occurred between August and September 2025. These thefts occurred at various locations across campus, including near residence halls and academic buildings. UNC Police continue to investigate the incidents. No suspect descriptions are available at this time.
UNC Police encourages the Carolina community to adhere to the following safety tips:
- Invest in a U-lock: These are more difficult to cut than cable locks and should be used to secure the frame of your e-bike to a fixed object.
- Add additional locks: Use a secondary lock for the wheels to ensure everything is secured.
- Choose well-lit areas: Always park your e-bike/e-scooter in well-lit, high-traffic areas to deter thieves.
- Park in “bike heavy” areas: These areas are less likely to be targeted by thieves as there are more eyes watching.
- Register your e-bike/e-scooter: UNC offers a bike/scooter registration program. Registering your e-bike/e-scooter can help authorities recover it if stolen and may deter thieves. Scooter owners are required to register their scooters with UNC Transportation and Parking. For more information or to register your scooter, visit the motorcycle/scooter page on the Transportation and Parking website.
- Scooter owners are required to park their scooters in parking areas designated specifically for their vehicles.
- Consider installing a GPS tracker on your e-bike/e-scooter. This can help locate it if it is stolen.
- Modify your e-bike/e-scooter with unique features that make it easily identifiable, making it harder for thieves to sell it.
- If you notice suspicious individuals around bike racks, report them to UNC Police immediately.
Campus bike racks can be found on this map. Additionally, e-scooter safety information can be found here, and bicycle safety information can be found here.
The UNC Police Department is available 24 hours a day by calling 911 in an emergency or 919-962-8100 for non-emergency assistance. Officers are also available in person at the Public Safety Building located at 285 Manning Drive.
Most Alert Carolina Informational messages are sent to notify the campus community of situations that do not pose an immediate threat but may be of significant interest to campus.
For more information about Alert Carolina and updates on alerts, visit alertcarolina.unc.edu.