Scooters secured by U-locks on September 15, 2026, in Houston, Texas. | Karen Wei/The Cougar
To combat theft, UH Police Department and Parking and Transportation Services are providing free U-locks to students for the third year. Since the beginning of the semester, around eight bicycles and scooters have been stolen, according to UHPD crime prevention officer Amir Watkins.
To get the U-lock, students must register their bicycle or scooter on their myParking portal and input its serial number, which can be found indented underneath the bicycle’s pedals or on the neck at the bottom of a scooter.
After registering their bicycle or scooter, students can go to either the main police station or the substation to pick up the U-lock. UHPD will give students the lock upon verifying registration.
“It’s free and it’s a nice lock that the University and parking partnered together to pay for so you guys can keep your things safe,” Watkins said.
To use the lock properly, students should put the lock around the neck of the scooter or around the frame of the bicycle. Students should also not lock their bicycle/scooter on anything other than a bike rack.
“If it’s stairs or ramps, that is a fire hazard,” Watkins said. “Fire marshals are going to start strictly enforcing that.”
If a student’s bicycle or scooter is stolen, they should contact UHPD as soon as possible. UHPD will put it in their system and run the serial number if they find it. Registering bicycles and scooters gives information to police, so they can return it to students if found.
“The more U-locks we put out, the more people take advantage of (the U-locks),” Watkins said. “I believe the theft of scooters and bicycles are going down, but we have to get more people involved in taking advantage of U-locks and using the U-locks correctly.”
Along with keeping their bicycles and scooters safe, student riders also have a responsibility to keep others safe.
“Safety is not only when it’s locked up, but being safe when it’s being ridden as well,” Watkins said. “There’s a lot of traffic around campus, so be aware of your surroundings so we all can maneuver and get around campus safely.”
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