Bike theft is a real problem for Prince George, according to RCMP.
On Thursday May 9th, 2019, officers from the Prince George RCMP deployed a bait bike in our community and made multiple arrests.
Over the course of only two hours, the bike was stolen three times, resulting in three arrests.  The longest the bike was deployed before being stolen was 25 minutes.
“The theft of bicycles in our community is a big issue” says Cpl. Craig Douglass, spokesperson for the Prince George RCMP and coordinator of the Detachment’s anti-bike theft initiative.
“Thieves specifically target bicycles for a quick and easy profit, and the bait bike initiative specifically targets the thieves.”
Three PG residents, aged 24, 46 and 19 all tried to steal the bike, two are being charged with theft under $5000 and one was released on a Promise to Appear for Court later this spring.
In most stolen bike cases, owners do not know the serial number of the bike or do not have it readily available, decreasing the chance of getting the bike back to almost zero.  Even if the bike is recovered, owners need to show that the bike is theirs.  The best way to do this, is to provide a serial number.
Three things that every bike owner SHOULD do:
- Register your bike with a program such as the 529 Garage App (www.project529.com).  Essential information like make, model, serial number and photos are recorded and accessible on any internet device;
- Always use a high quality lock designed for bicycles.  The extra expense is worth it.  Avoid cables and inexpensive locks, as they can be defeated easily and quickly;
- Report bike thefts right away.  Many thefts are never reported to police, giving officers no chance of arresting someone in possession of it.  Even if the bike isn’t worth much to you, reporting it could help arrest a thief.