Kyler Raden used to park his bike behind the Student Services building.

That was before someone stole it.

On that day, Raden, who works at Student Services, started work at 8:30 a.m. and came out to check on his bike at 10 a.m. In less than two hours, someone had evidently clipped the chain.

“I felt violated,” he said.

Raden’s experience is not an isolated one. University Police issued a bulletin Tuesday warning students about the recent rash of bicycle thefts.

Raden now uses a 6-pound lock that has a $3500 guaranteed insurance policy. And, as an added safe guard, he also takes advantage of the Bike Barn on campus, which stores bikes for free.

Both the SF State police and students agree that while the campus is predominantly safe, theft is a problem.

“The biggest issue on campus is theft of unattended property,” SF State Police Department Chief Kirk Gaston said.

Students have a “false sense of security just for a moment and leave items unattended. You have to pay attention to your stuff,” he said.

The chief suggested not having parties with people you don’t know or leaving things in your car in plain view.

There were also a number of vehicle thefts on campus. According to the 2007 Campus Security Report the number of campus vehicle thefts increased from 15 incidents in 2004 to 24 incidents in 2006. However, there was a decrease in the number of incidents on public property from 54 incidents in 2005 to seven incidents in 2006.

SF State senior, Bryan Schnaidt said someone broke into his girlfriend’s Chevrolet Cobalt. The rubber lining surrounding the window was fine but the window cost $400 to replace.

“There are break-ins by the Park Merced side,” Schnaidt said. “You’re gonna see broken windows.”

Personal safety, on the other hand, is something SF State student’s say they don’t generally worry about.

“I feel pretty safe all the time on campus,” Zoe Jardine, a freshman, said. “At night I always see so many police.”

SF State student Angelica Olivares agrees.

“I’ve been here all five years and really didn’t have a moment where I didn’t feel safe,” she said.

If Olivares had one criticism however, she said it would be that the campus shuttles should have more stops “especially when it gets darker.”

Marcus Payne, a fifth-year student at SF State said he has been told by female friends that they get “hardcore aggressive guys” bothering them at night.

“There’s not that (general) presence on campus at night so it’s scary for some women,” Payne said. “Dudes are hollering at the girls anywhere you go.”

Payne suggested putting up more flyers about the escort service. “All girls would appreciate that,” he said.

Students can call for an escort through the Campus Alliance for a Risk Free Environment or C.A.R.E., a student security team that provides available escorts from midnight to sunset seven days a week.

To contact C.A.R.E. call (415) 338-7200.