The Stolen Bike Crisis of the Okanagan

[the truth]

I feel so badly for this kid. It's like the airlines ONE job to deliver goods people put in their care via air is just too much for them.

It's like a theft.

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story--1-.htm

lost-no
stolen-yes

[cv23]

https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/3 ... ace#377383

The poor kid manages to live in Kelowna and not get his bike stolen only to entrust it to an airline and then never see it again or only see parts of it again just like scraps the thieves back home leave behind.

Starting to think there me a higher power working against cyclists in and from Kelowna.

[Queen K]

I discovered a new place to look for bikes, it's the back alley cam provided by Castanet.

https://www.castanet.net/castanet-rising/?id=6

ETA: More bikes just showed up on the cam. I mean come on!

[Queen K]

Taken right off fb today:

Came off a double shift to my bicycle and helmet stolen off the bike rack last night on Terai Ct at SpringValley Care Centre
Dark blue bike, bright hot pink and purple accents. Pink leopard print helmet. I'm a single mom with no car and that was my only source of transportation. I'm sure it's already chopped up but thanks for watching for it. I'm super upset and sad for humanity right now

Something has to be done about the thieves. Right now, nothing is done about them.

[Queen K]

People who are defeatest are not getting bikes back, know why? Because being defeatist is their worst self enemy trait.

The BEST course of action is to actually do something.

File that RCMP file report.
Take down all your bike's serial numbers and colours and features for safe keeping.
Post on EVERY social media crime site. And there are lots of them. If you post in one that still has shares, people do share and they also share into groups that are private. Which means a wider audience.

Over a dozen bikes have been recovered through the power of social media. But they only got recovered because the owners did something about the theft.

You're welcome.

[Jonrox]

People who are defeatest are not getting bikes back, know why? Because being defeatist is their worst self enemy trait.

The BEST course of action is to actually do something.

File that RCMP file report.
Take down all your bike's serial numbers and colours and features for safe keeping.
Post on EVERY social media crime site. And there are lots of them. If you post in one that still has shares, people do share and they also share into groups that are private. Which means a wider audience.

Over a dozen bikes have been recovered through the power of social media. But they only got recovered because the owners did something about the theft.

You're welcome.

I don’t know how many times I’ve posted this… hide an Apple AirTag on your bike and other valuable goods. They work beautifully. People all over the world are quickly recovering things they’ve had stolen (or lost).

And if you insist on checking a bag when you travel, put one in your luggage. You’ll know where your stuff is before the airlines do when they inevitably lose it.

[Queen K]

Of course you're right, everything in Kelowna needs an airpod now.

[Queen K]

So this happened today. We met a woman riding a bike, she got off it to look at the pond where we were and I brought up my fav new topic: Bike safety.

"Do you know or have your serial number"? She had no idea where to find it! So we worked together to find it and recorded it, used her cell phone to get photos of it and photos of her with the bike, good ones too.

One down, Thousands to go.

Seriously, to create a RCMP file number for a stolen bike is one thing, but to actually have proof of ownership AND serial number to put in that file report is golden.

And bikes are being recovered. Several in the last few days, RCMP are being called and they are seizing stolen bikes. The words "FOUND" and "RECOVERED" are being posted.

The worst self-defeating idea a victim can have is: 1. it's gone forever, and 2. no one cares, there is actually a community taking shape actively looking for stolen bikes, and 3. not filing with the RCMP. I note the numbers are in the 52,000 range, so yes, a lot of people are, but if everyone did I wonder if it'd be even higher.

[seewood]

One down, Thousands to go.

Your going to heaven, in the Nexus line to boot.

[Queen K]

I actually am working myself up the ladder from Hell. But ok!

[Jonrox]

An AirTag and a great lock are all you need. The lock to deter thieves and the AirTag as backup. If your bike is stolen and has an AirTag to locate it, the cops will happily respond quite quickly to help you out.

[Queen K]

Just reported on a crime facebook site, guy was using a cordless grinder to take off a lock BUT the owner came out and drop kicked the thief right off his focus. Cops called. Owner rode off with his bike.

T'is a beautiful thing.

Lesson? The locks are just being ground off with cordless grinders and the owner didn't time it so much as came out at the right time.

AirTag may have been attached to the bike but we will never know.

[alanjh595]

The problem is that within 1 hour of being stolen, it is dismantled, painted and refitted with new parts that disguises the original bike appearances or it is in a truck and on it's way to another city/province.

People not only need to record the S/N, but have a national data base tor be able to register it.
If potential bike purchases could have access to that data base, they could check out the serial number before they buy it.
If it comes back as stolen or missing, the police would automatically be dispatched.

[Jonrox]

Lesson? The locks are just being ground off with cordless grinders and the owner didn't time it so much as came out at the right time.

AirTag may have been attached to the bike but we will never know.

There are locks that hold up very well, even to angle grinders. They'll eventually be broken but it takes enough time that a lock of this quality may deter a lot of thieves.

In the event that the thief is determined enough to spend the time needed to break a lock like this, that's where an AirTag can potentially be the backup needed to retrieve the bike after it's stolen.

Lockpickiniglawyer on YouTube has some really good reviews of locks that he recommends. This is the one he uses:

[spooker]

The problem is that within 1 hour of being stolen, it is dismantled, painted and refitted with new parts that disguises the original bike appearances or it is in a truck and on it's way to another city/province.

People not only need to record the S/N, but have a national data base tor be able to register it.
If potential bike purchases could have access to that data base, they could check out the serial number before they buy it.
If it comes back as stolen or missing, the police would automatically be dispatched.

Something like this?
https://project529.com/garage/