The number of bike thefts in Revelstoke is down over previous years, but police say there could be fewer and more bikes could be recovered if owners took a few simple precautionary steps.
There were 74 bikes stolen in 2008, 63 in 2009 and 47 in 2010. So far in 2011 there have been 21 stolen.
Revelstoke RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Rod Wiebe said the main issue is owners just don’t lock up their bikes, saying this was the case for the vast majority of all bikes stolen. He adds they are being taken from everywhere they can be found, including yards, carports, public places and schools.
The second issue is owners don’t record their bike’s serial number. If RCMP have the serial number of a stolen bike, they can enter it into a database. If your bike is found somewhere, you may get it back. Wiebe said there are many missed opportunities to recover stolen bikes when RCMP do regular checks of cyclists or suspected thieves. “Without a serial number entered on the police computer an officer would not know the person he is dealing with may be riding a stolen bike,” he said.
As a result, almost all bike thefts go unsolved. In Revelstoke one person was charged and convicted in 2008. In 2010, a young person was punished with “extra-judicial measures” for stealing a bike. Also in 2010 a man was caught with a stolen bike, but Crown prosecutors didn’t approve charges against him.
Do you have more information to add to this story? Contact Aaron Orlando at 250-837-4667 or editor@revelstoketimesreview.com.