Though the warm weather gives more opportunities for pleasant bike rides, it also gives more opportunities for bike thieves if bikes are left unlocked and out in the open.
In Delta there have been 25 bike thefts from the beginning of the year to May, which is down from the three-year average of 34 for this time of year, says Delta Police spokesperson Cris Leykauf.
The statistical peak months of July, August, and September, although, still lie ahead, she says.
“We live in a wonderful, very safe community, but we do occasionally see spikes in property crime, and I don’t want anyone to have that happen during part of their summer,” says Leykauf.
Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers is urging residents to take as many precautionary measures as possible to avoid having bikes end up in the wrong hands.
They’re also encouraging folks to anonymously report any possible tips people may have on the organized theft rings, which if found helpful, may be eligible for a $5,000 reward.
Leykauf recommends always locking your bike up in a garage or shed if possible and registering it with Project 529, an online database that makes for easier returns when a stolen bike is found by police.
These stickers, themselves, may act as a deterrent to bike thieves and they are relatively tamper-proof.
This week, Crime Stoppers launched an awareness campaign around Project 529.
“Take a good bike lock with you when you’re going to run around on errands, whether that’s attending the library or the grocery store, because sometimes it only takes 20 minutes for an unattended bike to go missing,” said Leykauf.
Before the pandemic, the DPD would hold social events where cyclists could bring their bikes to be registered and have an identification sticker, or “shield” applied, but now, officers are going door-to-door within a few days of being sent a request to the email 529@deltapolice.ca.
To send in a tip to Crime Stoppers, call 1-800-222-TIPS, submit it online at www.solvecrime.ca or use their mobile phone app.
You can also report information to DPD through their non-emergency line at 604-946-4411.
