By Gerry Tuoti

Although bicycle theft may less common at Northeastern than at most other colleges in Greater Boston, the increase in outdoor physical activity that accompanies the warm weather has led to renewed concerns of the problem.

Mike Couch, a sophomore finance major, was the victim of a bicycle theft two weeks ago. Around 3:30 a.m. last Saturday, as his three roommates slept, someone entered his Willis Hall room and stole his $2,200 bike.

“The door was closed, but it was unlocked,” Couch said.

Couch said that the Northeastern University Police Department told him they are “actively pursuing it.”

“I doubt they’ll get him,” Couch said.

Associate Director of Public Safety James Ferrier said that it is extremely rare for a bike to be stolen from a room.

“Most of the time they’re outdoors,” he said of the bicycle thefts.

According to Ferrier, there have been seven instances of bicycle theft on campus since September 1.

However, he said that many of these thefts could have been prevented.

“Most of the bikes that were stolen did not have high quality locks,” he said.

“My recollection is about half the time the bike has been left unlocked. Always lock it, even for a minute. If you’re going to buy an expensive bicycle, buy an expensive lock. Invest in a good lock. Even an inexpensive bicycle left unattended becomes a target,” he said.

There are several types of quality U-locks on the market ranging in price from approximately $25 to $150.

Couch said his roommates now keep their bikes locked, even when they are in their room.

In addition to locks, bicyclists now have another security device at their disposal.

Factory Enhancements Corp., makers of the new the Cy-Curity alarm system, is hopeful its product will help reduce theft.

The patented Cy-Curity system is a remote-activated device that is installed under a bike seat to remain completely hidden from plain view. Its built-in motion sensor detects any movement of the bike and emits a 115 decibel siren.

Similar to key chain car alarms, the Cy-Curity system allows a bike owner to remotely activate the alarm from a range of up to 100 feet.

The battery-operated unit weighs three ounces and requires no tools for installation.

“The Cy-Curity system is not a replacement for a bicycle lock,” said Perryn Holtrop, Cy-Curity inventor and President of Factory Enhancements Corp. “But because bike locks and cables can be cut, they should be used in conjunction with the Cy-Curity system to help prevent theft.”

One of the alarm’s features is its adjustable built in motion sensor.

“Let’s say you’re in an area with a lot of activity, you can set the device to only go off when there is a lot of movement.” Holtrop said. “The adjustment of the sensitivity is done through the remote control. The rider can adjust the sensitivity to the environment that he’s in. It’s really user-friendly so you can adjust it to your liking.”

Aaron Leach, a middler chemical engineering major, is skeptical.

“It’s not going to work,” said Leach, who owns a $2,300 Norco and an $800 specialized mountain bike. “Look at all the car alarms that are always going off when no one’s around. I would spend my $49.95 on something else.”

Leach has never had a bike stolen, but said he is concerned about theft. He uses a U-lock and a chain lock made by Kryptonite.

According to Leach, the makers of Kryptonite locks will pay you the value of your bike if it was stolen while you had it correctly locked with their products.

Holtrop said he has received many favorable letters from people who have bought his product.

“People call us all the time and say, ‘hey, this product works great,” he said.

Before starting Factory Enhancements Corp., Holtrop owned an auto security company.

“My friend joked about putting an alarm on his bike,” Holtrop said. “It started off as a joke, but then we did our homework on it.”

That was the birth of the Cy-Curity alarm system.

The alarm system has been on the market since November 2002. About 1,000 units have been sold, Holtop said.

Holtrop said that many people have also purchased the Cy-Curity alarm system for scooters and segways.

Though it was designed for bicycles, the Cy-Curty alarm’s applications are not limited, he said.

“This is definitely something that, if enough people know about it, it will be a benchmark for bicycle security in the future,” Holtrop said.

The Cy-Curity Bicycle Alarm sells for $49.95 plus shipping and handling and may be purchased by phone: (800) 971-0778 or online: www.cy-curity.com.