$45,000 in stolen bikes recovered in Vancouver; police hoping to return them to owners

Vancouver -

Police in Vancouver are hoping to return more than two dozen stolen bikes to their owners, which together value about $45,000.

In a news release Friday, police said 27 bikes were recovered from a storage facility in East Vancouver last week as part of a stolen-property investigation. Now, they're hoping to return them to owners.

Among the stolen items are high-end road bikes, mountain bikes and e-bikes, police said. The investigation is ongoing and charges might be recommended in the future.

"This was a lengthy and complex investigation that was led by our front-line patrol officers, who learned several weeks ago that stolen bikes were allegedly being trafficked out of a self-storage facility in East Vancouver," Sgt. Steve Addison said in the news release.

Some of the bike thefts were already reported to police, so they're expected to be returned to owners soon. However, others weren't formally reported so police are trying to identify owners.

"Even without a serial number, (Vancouver Police Department) staff can often track down rightful owners by using unique descriptors and features on a bike, so we encourage anyone who has not yet reported their stolen bike to file a police report," Addison said.

"However, the best way to safeguard against bike theft is always to use a durable lock, record your serial number, and register your bike with Project 529."

Bike thefts in Vancouver can be reported at vpd.ca or by calling 604-717-3321.