Fewer Bike Thefts During Victoria Campaign
Last Spring, Momentum’s John Luton reported on the launch of a campaign against bike theft in Victoria, British Columbia. The campaign included a public education component called “Protect Your Bike,” and the first known use of “bait bikes” in North America. The results are in, with Victoria Police announcing that reported bike thefts were down 29 per cent for the year ending March 31.
The Protect Your Bike campaign was partly funded by the Downtown Victoria Business Association, and included volunteers providing information to the public about theft prevention and reporting. Bait bikes are bikes fitted with hidden GPS receivers and radio transmitters that inform the police about the location of stolen bikes.
When asked by momentum for the number of arrests through bait bikes, Sergeant Keith Lewis said that the police department does not provide arrest statistics. “In our opinion, there were a significant amount of arrests, enough to send a message to bike thieves.”
He emphasized that although bait bikes get the most media attention because they are sexier than public education, informing the public will prevent more thefts. “So many people still use useless locks,” he said. He credits the hard work of the team of volunteers working with Project Coordinator John Arnold as the biggest reason for the success.
Interestingly, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia reported that there was an increase in the number of auto thefts in Victoria during the same period.
More Information at www.victoriapolice.ca/news/Protectyourbike.htm
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