WINNIPEG -- Bike thefts is a problem all too familiar for Winnipeggers and if a bike is stolen, it's often difficult to trace it back to its rightful owner.
The city is now stepping in to make it more difficult to sell stolen bikes.
The standing policy committee on protection, community services, and parks passed a motion Wednesday to make bike registration mandatory.
"We're trying to do all we can in addition to making sure that we are good partners for the Winnipeg Police Service," said Sherri Rollins, city councillor for Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry.
The committee also passed a motion requiring people who sell scrap metal to show photo ID to deter criminals from selling bike parts for cash.
The Chair of United Neighbourhoods of Winnipeg, Tom Scott, said the group supports anything that will reduce crime in the city.
"It will also make people feel better and safer that they can put things in their own back yards. That's a safe place for them," said Scott.
He believes the bike theft issue is directly related to the meth crisis and wants to see restrictions on metals, like copper wiring when they're sold.
"If they are finding easy ways to get the drugs, they're using more drugs. If we can take the resources out of preventing those crimes or processing those crimes, we can put that money into helping those people."
Mynarski City Councillor, Ross Eadie, supports the recommendations but he is also concerned about the changes as they could affect the bottom line of scrap yards because they would have to hold onto items for 15-days.
Rollins said the city has seen an uptick in people registering their bikes and moving forward wants to make it easier.
"We still want to continue discussing point of sale registries. Thinking that that's going to be the biggest bang for the buck,' said Rollins.
