(Photo: submitted by RCMP)
Codiac RCMP has found a new way to help crackdown on bicycle theft.
They are the first police service in Atlantic region to partner with 529 Garage, which is a bicycle theft prevention app.
“Many people who report their bikes lost or stolen don’t have the bicycle serial number documented,” said Constable Christy Elliott, a member with the Codiac Regional RCMP Community Policing Unit. “The 529 Garage app is a simple way to register your bike with the serial number and upload pictures. When someone buys a used bike, they can also confirm it’s legitimately owned by the person selling it.”
She says, “Theft of bicycles is a common occurrence, and it does, unfortunately, happen regularly. It has been the case for a very long time. The more that we can do to protect peoples bikes and keep people aware is something that we would like to certainly curb.”
If a bike is stolen, other members in the area can be alerted and it will also make it more difficult for thieves to resell the bike.
Elliott says, last year they recovered around 100 bikes, “These are all found bicycles, some of which are probably stolen but were never reported to us. I can’t say exactly how many of those were just bikes left on the side of the road, disregarded or if they were stolen specifically.”
To register for 529 Garage:
- Download the 529 Garage mobile app and create a free account. The app is available in English and French for Android and iOS mobile devices.
- Register your bicycle by adding photos and some basic information, such as the serial number, make and model.
- Once registration is complete, it is recommended to purchase a 529 Garage shield sticker to the bicycle. This tamper-evident sticker has a unique identification number and is a strong deterrent to thieves.
Members of the Codiac Regional RCMP, with assistance from the Moncton Public Safety Advisory Committee, will be available at the following events to help cyclists register their bikes, and to give out free 529 Garage stickers. Please bring the bicycle to the event to complete the registration process.
- May 29, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: outside Moncton City Hall, 655 Main Street
- June 5, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Dieppe Market, 232 Gauvin Road
- June 19, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Riverview, Caseley Park, 553 Bradford West Road
- June 26, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Dieppe, Rotary St. Anselm Park, 505 Melanson Road
- July 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Moncton, municipal parking lot next to La Bikery Cooperative, 120 Assomption Boulevard
