Students’ bikes stationed at the parking rail outside the Student Union on Oct. 10.
The 2025 UCF Annual Security and Fire Safety Report revealed a sharp rise in motor vehicle thefts reported on the main campus. The number of reports jumped from seven in 2022 to 41 in 2024 — a nearly sixfold increase.
Amanda Sellers, UCF Public Safety communications manager, stated in an email that the report’s “motor vehicle theft” category includes not just cars and trucks, but also golf carts, electric scooters and electric bicycles under the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting definition.
Of those 41 reported incidents, 34 involved electric scooters, electric bicycles or golf carts, according to the email.
Sellers wrote in an email that most scooters and bikes are stolen because they’re left unlocked or improperly secured.
“We occasionally see locks that have been cut, which is why UCFPD recommends using a strong U-bolt-style lock, which is much more resistant to tampering,” Sellers wrote.
For many students who rely on these smaller, more convenient vehicles to get around campus, the report has raised growing concerns.
Junior electronic journalism major Maria Pereira, who has owned an electric scooter for nearly two years, said she relies on it daily to commute from her nearby home to campus.
Maria Pereira, junior electronic journalism major, sits at the Student Union with her scooter she uses for daily transportation on Oct. 10.
“It takes me like 10 minutes from my house to campus,” Pereira said. “It’s so hot, so I just use my scooter to get around. It’s quicker, and I don’t have to plan ahead too much like I would with the bus.”
Pereia said she’s always aware of the risk of theft, especially after a friend’s scooter was stolen during her freshman year.
“Every time I lock it, I just hope for the best,” Pereira said.
To protect her scooter, Pereira uses a heavy metal lock with a key and avoids leaving it in isolated or poorly lit areas. She also said UCF could do more to repair damaged scooter racks around campus.
“Most of the places where you lock your scooter are broken,” Pereira said. “Especially near Classroom Building I — the metal bars are lifted, so someone could just pull the lock out and steal it.”
Junior psychology major Stephannie Correa, who has used her scooter for about two years, said the spike in reports does not surprise her.
“It’s a big jump — I didn’t know that,” Correa said. “But I guess it makes sense. Everyone’s been noticing how our surroundings have been getting more dangerous over the years. Unfortunately, it’s kind of expected.”
While Correa said she doesn’t often worry about theft, she still takes precautions by locking her scooter whenever she leaves it unattended.
“I have a metal lock — I always lock it if I’m not taking it with me,” Correa said.
Correa said it would help if UCF increased visible security near scooter and bike parking areas.
“It’d be nice to have a camera or some sort of security where we park our scooters and bikes, just to give us that added relief of safety,” Correa said.
Sellers explained that most campus thefts continue to be crimes of opportunity and that prevention starts with simple precautions.
“Recently, UCF Housing shared theft prevention tips with residents via their social media channels, based on guidance from UCFPD,” Sellers wrote. “UCFPD also offers a property registration system that allows individuals to register their items using serial numbers. This helps officers quickly identify and return recovered property if it’s lost or stolen.”
Sellers emphasized that awareness and small precautions can make the biggest difference.
“The more our community looks out for each other, the safer our campus will be,” Sellers stated in the email.