It’s a dejection most urban dwellers have known at least once.
You come back to where you’ve dutifully locked your bike up, only to find a broken lock or cut chain in its place.
North Vancouver RCMP has launched North Van Get Your Bike Back, a program aimed at getting stolen bikes back to their rightful owners.
In Sept. 2015, North Vancouver RCMP warned the public we were in the midst of a record year for bike thefts. Between January 2015 and May 6, 2016, there have been 349 reported thefts.
RCMP also recovered 228 stolen bikes in 2015, although a great many couldn’t be returned to their owners because there was no way to conclusively ID who they belonged to.
“Last year, we recognized we were having a problem with bike thefts and because we believe a bike is more than just a recreational device – it’s sometimes a way of life for many people, that we needed to take action,” said Supt. Chris Kennedy, officer in charge of the North Vancouver detachment.
In April, officers happened by a suspect well-known to them, riding a $10,000 bike. Had the owner registered the bike in the program, police would have been able to quickly return it and seek charges, Cpl. Richard De Jong said.
“Who doesn’t want to get their bike back after it’s been stolen? What North Vancouver RCMP are asking the public to do, and it’s very simple, is register their bike with the police ahead of time before any unfortunate accident occurs and you’re found looking for your bike,” he said.
Cyclists can get in the police database by sending an email to [email protected], which will autoreply with a form that can be filled out.
The registry is meant to be in addition to old fashioned gumshoe work, Kennedy said.
“We’re not abandoning the old method of investigating. We have our plainclothes units out on a daily basis targeting these people with bait bikes and surveillance. We’re going to continue with this,” he said.
