This week proved a tough one for commuters.

The UW Police responded to four bicycle thefts. One bicycle was stolen in front of the North Physics Laboratory on Jan. 7.

“At the beginning of the quarter, that’s when we see this increase in crime,” UWPD Assistant Chief Ray Wittmier said. “That’s when the bikes disappear.”

One student locked his bike up with a cable lock in front of McCarty Hall before winter break, only to return from winter vacation to find it was gone.

“A cable lock is one of the least secure ways to lock your bike up,” UWPD Sgt. Doug Schultz said. UW police advise using U-locks instead of cable locks, which are easily broken. Of bikes stolen on campus, 98 percent were locked up with cable locks.

Another bicycle was stolen in front of Haggett Hall on Jan. 11 and another bicycle was stolen in front of the Paul G. Allen Center Jan. 12.

It wasn’t just bikers that were the victims of theft, however.

On Jan. 8, a Subaru Impreza was stolen from the Padelford parking garage. That same day, an Acura Integra that had previously been reported stolen was found in the same garage.

A Toyota was stolen from the E1 parking lot Jan. 9. The next day, Seattle police recovered the car in Everett.

Bus commuters got their share of action, too.

On Jan. 9, a suspicious-looking man attempted to board a Metro bus on East Stevens Way. The bus driver told the man he was not allowed on the bus, and closed the doors to prevent him from boarding.

The man began shouting at the bus driver, and in anger began hitting the windows of the bus until one shattered. The man was arrested and booked into the King County Jail on charges of vandalism.

In non-traffic related news, police responded twice to reports of drug violations. The UWPD confiscated marijuana from Stevens Court on Jan. 8. No arrests were made.

On Jan. 11, an RA at the south tower of McCarty Hall informed the police that one of the dorm rooms smelled like marijuana. Police entered the dorm room, confiscated the drugs and arrested one student.

[Reach columnist Siv Prince at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]