Junior Bryan Thompson returned to campus after practice on Friday, Nov. 15, to pick up his electric bike near the portables — only to discover it was gone.

“I lock it at the bike racks, and I had it locked to a friend’s bike at the time … when I came back for it, and at that point, it was gone,” Thompson said.

E-bike thefts have become a recurring issue on campus. As of last week, three e-bikes had been reported stolen from school bike racks, according to an email sent to students and staff by Principal Jen Fong on Monday, Nov. 18. In the message, Fong said that the administration is collaborating with the Burlingame Police Department to investigate the thefts.

Thompson immediately reported the theft to the main office, where staff reviewed security camera footage near the bike racks to identify the suspect. Administration then urged Thompson to file a police report.

Freshman August Evans experienced a similar situation two months ago when his $2,000 e-bike was stolen from an apartment complex a little over a mile away from campus.

“I locked it there every day in the same spot for a couple of weeks because I wanted to walk to school with my friends and so as I was walking home one day for school to get to my bike, I noticed that it had just been stolen,” Evans said.

Evans explained that the thief had used a torch to burn through his iron bar lock, making it possible to steal the e-bike.

These thefts can have a significant impact on student mobility, as many use these bikes as a main mode of transportation to get to school each day.

“It’s a big concern for sure, just because it’s how I get to school, usually. I’ve been trying to make it work out, and I’ve tried to push it aside a bit and focus on other things,” Thompson said.