Business owner disappointed in police efforts to locate $500K worth of stolen e-bikes
The owner of an e-bike business says he has doubts police will find the roughly $500,000 worth of product that was stolen from a shipping container last week, while police say he “complicated” their investigation by posting video of the theft.
Roshan Thomas released a video to social media Friday that showed security footage of two suspects stealing the container with the e-bikes from a warehouse on Annacis Island in Delta just after 1 a.m. on March 19.
The shipping trailer and empty container were located in an industrial area in Langley on March 22.
“Two years of efforts that I’ve put in to bring these bikes to production and it seems like, you can be hardworking and honest and people come steal sh*t from you, and there’s nothing you can do,” said Thomas, owner of Biktrix.
Thomas shared the video in hopes that people would recognize the unique-looking 'Juggernaut' model of electric bikes if they ended up sold on the streets or online.
Delta police, however, said Thomas “complicated” the investigation by releasing the video.
“It’s advantageous for us to keep some of those investigative avenues to ourselves while they’re ongoing," said James Sandberg, public affairs manager with the Delta Police Department. "So when certain things get publicized, it makes it a little more difficult to investigate.”
Sandberg said the relationship between Thomas and the DPD is “strained.”
Thomas told CTV News he released the video because he sensed a lack of urgency from the police and noticed communication issues between Delta police and Langley RCMP.
He says he found out about the empty container in Langley through his contacts with the warehouse, and that the DPD seemed unaware the shipping container was located.
“Some guys found the empty trailer, the other guys are looking for the trailer still, they don’t even know that these guys found it," said Thomas via Zoom from his home in Saskatoon. “Sad part is they’re like 10-15 kilometres from each other. I’m sitting in Saskatoon and I had more information than they did which is really disappointing but also eye-opening to me, I think.”
Sandberg told CTV News the case is a high priority for Delta police.
"We have a team of officers that are working on this. It is a high-value theft and we recognize that. And we are putting resources into the investigation," said Sandberg.
Police have not located the truck.
Retired Vancouver police officer Rob Brunt, who specialized in bike detective work, says spreading the word could make a major difference in the case.
"I would do the same," said Brunt, who helped launch Project 529, a digital tool that helps people track down stolen bikes. "I mean, great police work, a lot of it, is the community helping police."
The DPD said it’s planning on using Project 529 to assist with the investigation.
"We want to get those bikes registered on our database so that if that bicycle shows up in Toronto and somebody buys it and then registers it, we will see where it came and it's a great tool for the police," said Brunt.
Police are looking for two suspects, a man and a woman, who wore dark clothing and attempted to conceal their identity during the theft. Delta police don't believe the bike shipment was targeted, calling the theft a crime of opportunity. Anyone with information is asked to contact police.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized after return to New York from upstate prison
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said Saturday that the onetime movie mogul has been hospitalized for a battery of tests after his return to New York City following an appeals court ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction.
'We are declaring our readiness': No decision made yet as Poland declares it's ready to host nuclear weapons
Polish President Andrzej Duda says while no decision has been made around whether Poland will host nuclear weapons as part of an expansion of the NATO alliance’s nuclear sharing program, his country is willing and prepared to do so.
Central Alberta queer groups react to request from Red Deer-South to reinstate Jennifer Johnson to UCP caucus
A number of LGBQT+2s groups in Central Alberta are pushing back against a request from the Red Deer South UCP constituency to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson into the UCP caucus.