Bike theft in Calgary jumps 18% over last year, prompting calls for change

Calgary's bike community wants to work with police, employers and business owners to get a handle on bike theft after numbers have begun increasing once again.

By the end of May this year, 800 bikes had been reported stolen, compared with 680 at the same point in 2018. In total last year, 2,844 bikes were reported stolen to the Calgary Police Service.

This comes after numbers spiked in 2015, jumping 44 per cent over the previous year. In 2016 and 2017, thefts continued to climb before falling slightly in 2018. 

Thefts are spread out all over the city, but police have received the most reports from the Beltline (60), downtown commercial core (34), Hillhurst (30) and the East Village (24). 

Police say dissuasion efforts continue

Police say the increase in the number of thefts doesn't have to do with a lack of attention to the issue on their part. 

According to Const. Scott Mondeville, police are using bait bikes again and ramping up efforts to reconnect Calgarians with their lost wheels. 

"We understand the value of these bikes to people and the importance of trying to get them back and trying to figure out who stole them in the first place," Mondeville said. 

To Mondeville, there aren't many surprises when it comes to bike theft — they're crimes of opportunity, for the most part. 

"It tends to be quite low-tech," he said. "What is surprising is how brazen people can be. Stealing things in the middle of the day, in the middle of the street in crowded areas … especially if they're not locked up." 

'More concerted, consistent effort' needed: Bike Calgary

Gary Millard is the president of Bike Calgary. The cycling advocacy group has been advocating for better measures against bike theft for years.

While the group hasn't had members report a spike in crime this year, Millard still said there's more to do.

"We'd like to see a more concerted, more consistent effort," Millard said. "We've been talking to [Calgary Police] a few times about different options around bike registries, how we can make sure that we can deter how we can make sure there's better patrolling, that sort of thing."

He said the most important step is finding ways to prevent theft in the first place. And that would include more partners in the community — like businesses and employers. 

"Things like secure bike parking is probably the gold standard, locked cages," he said. "Things like video surveillance, more security patrols in some areas, making sure that bike racks aren't in some of those out-of-the-way locations."