Officers have arrested another person stealing a bait bike downtown as police continue their efforts to fight this growing crime.
Shortly after 10:00 p.m. on November 15th, VPD officers observed a man on a bicycle approach a bait bike locked to a bicycle rack on West Pender near Richards Street. Officers watched the man break the lock, remove the bike from the rack and walk away with it.
The man was quickly taken into custody without incident. When officers searched him, they found he was also in possession of tools and 50 rounds of ammunition. The investigation is ongoing and police have requested theft and mischief charges against the 24-year-old Vancouver resident, who is known to police.
There have been almost 3000 bikes stolen in Vancouver this year. Police recover hundreds of stolen bikes annually that cannot be reunited with their owners, as their serial numbers have not been reported to police and that makes them virtually untraceable.
The VPD continues to work hard at reducing bike theft with a series of efforts, including the launch of the 529 Bike Registry to track stolen bikes easier, the Log it or Lose it Campaign to encourage people to record serial numbers, and the Bait Bike Program aimed at targeting offenders.
Prevention is one of the best crime-fighting strategies and police often rely on the vigilance of the public to report suspicious activity immediately.
