By Adam Donnelly

Bicycle thefts on the rise in Kamloops

Jul 17, 2018 | 4:09 PM

KAMLOOPS — Whether for fun, exercise, to reduce carbon emissions, or simply because it’s cheaper than driving, riding a bicycle is gaining popularity as a way to get around; according to Kamloops RCMP, bike thieves across the city have been making off like bandits this summer, with the number and value of bicycle thefts skyrocketing over the past several weeks.

Summer in Kamloops is synonymous with riding a bike; with that increase in bicycle ridership has come an increase in stolen bikes, especially since the beginning of June.

“Over those [past] five weeks in Kamloops, there were 64 bicycles stolen,” Cpl. Jodi Shelkie told CFJC Today. “The total value of those bicycles was $95,000.”

Cpl. Shelkie says the thieves are targeting all ranges of bikes; from children’s bikes right up to the high-end mountain and road bikes. The sheer number of bikes stolen in our community shocked the guys down at Spoke Bike and Ski.

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“Mind-boggling,” Spoke Sales Associate Ryan Wilcox said. “It is a big community of cyclists, so I know a lot of enthusiastic people are probably missing a lot of bikes.”

For Wilcox, locks are always a good option – Spoke Bike and Ski sell a variety of different lock styles – but according to the information released by RCMP, 51% of the bikes stolen were secured with a bike lock.

“[Locks are] not a complete deterrent,” Wilcox explained. “A little bit of common sense goes a long way. Being aware of where it’s being aware of where it’s being locked up, the potential traffic that is going to see it when it’s locked up, and the areas where you’re leaving it locked up, as well.”

With the marked increase in bike thefts across the city, RCMP are urging bike owners to take a few extra steps to ensure the safety of their property.

“Most of the bicycle thefts that occurred in Kamloops over this time were stolen from residences,” Shelkie said. “It’s just a case of people having to take their bicycle into their house, which is secure. As well, an important thing to have is the serial number… and take a photo of your bike.”

If you want to take your bicycle security one step further, Shelkie recommends the Garage 529 app, which is an online database to protect bike owners and their rides.