Cellphone footage of a daytime bike theft at the Queensway Bus Loop last week shows just how brazen thieves can be.
The video, submitted to AM1150 and posted below, shows a masked person use a bolt cutter to cut the bike free from a chain link as people and motorists go by.
Kelowna RCMP Corporal Tania Carroll says while it is brazen, it happens a lot.
“The other people around [the thief], of course they don’t know what [the thief] is doing, they don’t pay attention long enough to determine if it is [the thief’s] bike or what exactly it is their doing,” she said “so a lot of these aren’t reported unfortunately while it’s happening.”
The video, taken last Thursday, August 31 at about 3:00pm, was submitted to the RCMP, which is investigating the incident after the bike’s owner reported it.
31 bike thefts were reported to Kelowna RCMP last week, August 28-September 3, in Kelowna, Lake Country and West Kelowna, 23 the week before. But year to date, reported thefts have decreased 23% compared to last year.
Carroll says when people see a bike theft unfold they should try and alert authorities.
“It would be great if they could record it, keeping your safety a priority, if you can’t record it yourself just try and get as much information as possible and report that to police,” she said “call it in right away of course and if you can get the direction of travel, where they were last headed.”
Kelowna RCMP say the theft of bicycles, much like other street level property crime continues to be a concern for them. They offer the following tips to bicycle owners: