British Columbia

Project 529 Garage reunites stolen bikes with rightful owners in Surrey

Surrey RCMP have partnered with an online bike registration and recovery service to help reduce bike theft in the city of Surrey and return recovered bikes to their rightful owners.

Registering bikes with new online application helps Surrey RCMP identify stolen bikes successfully

Surrey RCMP to partner with Project 529, a city-wide bike registry in an effort to reunite more owners with the thousands of bicycles that are stolen each year (Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press)

Surrey RCMP have partnered with an online bike registration and recovery service to help reduce bike theft in the city of Surrey and return recovered bikes to their rightful owners.

Project 529 Garage is a website and phone app that allows cyclists to easily and securely register their bikes online.

Mobile application, Project 529 Garage, allows the user to capture everything necessary for the police and the community to help find a missing bike. (529 Garage)

Registration is free and users can broadcast "missing bike bulletins" to the 529 community and social networks to assist in recovering a stolen bike.

"Bike theft victims often don't have the serial number or adequate detail to identify their bike successfully, making it very difficult for police to reunite recovered bikes with their rightful owners," said Surrey RCMP Corporal Scotty Schumann. 

As a result, the Surrey RCMP is encouraging bike owners to register their bikes with 529 Garage and secure the optional tamper resistant sticker with a registration number on their bike for easy identification.

"With an increased number of bike owners committed to registering and marking their bikes with an identification number, we can work together and send a strong message to bike thieves" says Cpl. Schumann.