St Hugh's security criticised after multiple bike thefts
Security at St Hugh's has again been called into question after the theft of two bikes from the college's back gate on Saturday morning.
Criticism of the existing arrangements led the college to install a new bar across the gate over the Christmas holidays but the latest security breach, less than a fortnight into the new term, could prompt a rethink by the college authorities.
The bikes, which were not locked down, were lifted over the Canterbury Road gates at 2am on Saturday morning. A second year engineering student witnessed the robbery and alerted the porter, who arrived to find five males making off with the bikes.
The police were immediately called but a patrol car took some time to arrive. Despite a notice being put up in the porters lodge, the bike owners have not yet been identified.
JCR President Stephanie Charalambous told The Oxford Student college security could be improved: "I think the administration recognises this and has been taking appropriate measures without much hassle from the JCR."
Mary Kerr, the St Hugh's Bursar, defended the security measures in place: "College security is as good as it can be in such a large site. It will only ever be as good as the people using it choose to make it."
The college is already looking into the feasibility of extra lighting at the front of the site, but Charalambous believes they could go further: "The JCR Committee will be suggesting that the lighting at the back gate could be improved and that the college should look into adding spikes onto the top of the gate."
3rd Feb 2005