Mounties in Kelowna have a stern warning for would-be bike thieves: police officers might be watching you.
A bait bike program in the city has led to an arrest and the recovery of allegedly stolen property.
According to police, a bait bike was stolen on June 13 just 90 minutes after it was placed outside a local business. In that case, Mounties traced the bike to a nearby residence where they recovered it as well as a suspected stolen bike and a bike they have confirmed was taken in late May.
Another bait bike was stolen later that day. Officers caught a suspect riding it in the area of Highway 97 and Highway 33. A 32-year-old Kelowna man could face charges, police said.
"Theft of bicycles in our community continues to be a concern, and the RCMP will continue to target those responsible for committing these crimes," Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey, said in a statement. "Just like bait cars, bait bikes could be anywhere in Kelowna."
On Tuesday, the RCMP recovered another five bicycles it says were stolen as well as a dozen bike frames and numerous bike parts.
Mounties are reminding the public that every bike comes with a serial number that can used to recover it in case it goes missing. Cyclists are encouraged to register their bike's serial number with Project 529, a registry police can use to recover stolen property.
