As bike season enters full swing, the Prince George RCMP are reminding the public to protect their bicycles.

“Registering a bike is the most important thing you can do,” said RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Craig Douglass, who added: “about 20% of the bikes that are stolen – the owners don’t even know the make of the bike.”

Douglass said this makes it effectively impossible to locate or return the bike.

The lack of identifying information likely emboldens bike thieves, who may see bikes as low-risk items.

“They know the odds are the owners don’t record the serial numbers, and therefore it becomes less of a risk for them,” said Douglass.

He reported bicycle thefts have steadily risen in the past five years, adding many stolen bikes are never even reported missing.

Aside from registering serial numbers, Prince George RCMP also recommends investing in a high-quality lock.

“At no point should we ever use cable locks,” Douglass said, instead recommending a reinforced or composite steel lock.

“Even if it’s in your living room it should be locked,“ he explained, saying bikes are often stolen from seemingly secure locations.

Your bike can be registered online, making recovery much easier in the event it is stolen.