Bike thefts on the rise again in Brandon after lull: police
Bike thefts in Brandon are on the rise again after a bit of a lull.
According to the Brandon Police Service (BPS), 190 bikes were stolen in the Wheat City in 2023, which the force says is about on par with the city’s five-year average.
On paper, however, it’s a 31 per cent rise from the year earlier, which saw about 140 bikes stolen.
BPS Sgt. Dana McCallum says they aren’t able to pinpoint exactly why bike thefts are spiking again, but it could be related to the high cost of living.
“I know that with prices going up this year - maybe that's contributing to it. People steal bikes to get money for drugs or for food,” she said.
“I don’t see bike thefts going down any time soon.”
Meantime, police are encouraging cyclists to register their bikes with the 529 Garage program.
Participants enter their bicycle information into an online system, be it through BPS’ website or its 529 app. It’s a way to help reunite owners with their stolen bikes once they’ve been recovered by police. Users can also report bike thefts through the online tool, allowing other users to keep an eye out for it.
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