VPD hoping bait bikes will help catch thieves

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – As summer begins and more cyclists are out on the streets, the Vancouver Police Department is planting bait bikes around the city.

Cycling is a passion and a mode of transportation for many Vancouverites, and it can be devastating when a bike is stolen.

Constable Steve Addison says police officers understand that loss.

“Their bikes are very important to them, they are cherished pieces of property,” he says. “And if we can prevent somebody from having that piece of property stolen or becoming a victim to this, we’ve achieved a big part of our mandate.”

The VPD has been running the Bait Bike Program for a number of years. Officers lock up a bicycle somewhere, then watch and wait for someone to try to take it – and arrest them.

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“We definitely want offenders to know that if they’re thinking about stealing a bike they could very well be stealing a bait bike or a piece of bait property, and that could result in them, instead of stealing a bike, getting a trip to jail.”

The bikes are planted across the city, particularly in high traffic areas like Granville Island, the public library, malls and the Aquatic Centre.

Addision says locking your bike and having it registered can prevent theft and later help police return your property if it is stolen.

You can register your bike through the VPD’s Log It or Lose It campaign or with Project 529.

With files from Sonia Aslam.