![Students park their bikes shoulder-to-shoulder against a bike rack at Paly, as recent thefts raise concerns: “Once school goes out ... this [school] becomes a public park ... there's not a lot of security, if any, in the evening,” Hubenthal said.](https://verdemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/bike.jpg)
Bike theft has become a common problem at Palo Alto High School, with students frequently reporting that their bikes have been stolen, partially because they were left overnight or unlocked.
Sophomore Arunav Ramanathan has had his bike stolen after staying late for robotics.
“It was in the bike cage next to the MAC [Media Arts Center], and I left it there until 6 or 7 p.m.,” Ramanathan said. “When I came back, I found the lock on the floor cut and the bike was gone.”
While Ramanathan does not place blame on the school, he believes there is room for improvement.
Carl Hubenthal, Paly’s lead campus supervisor, handles bike theft reports and surveillance.
According to Hubenthal, the City of Palo Alto is responsible for securing the area after school hours.
However, because the school is an open campus and next to many busy areas, a lot of bike thefts occur.
To help students in reducing bike theft, Hubenthal recommends taking several precautions: registering bikes with the city, using high-quality locks and not leaving bikes after school hours.
“If you really like your bike, … don’t leave it overnight,” Hubenthal said.