2018 bait bike program off to successful start

Police in Whistler say their 2018 Bait Bike campaign is off to a successful start.

After placing a bike in Whistler on July 16th, it was stolen just 12 hours after deployment. The bike was tracked to a secluded area in Brio Park where a 43 year old man from Burnaby and a 40 year old man from Surrey were arrested while waiting to place the bike in the back of a vehicle. This investigation is in its early stages, however several charges are being considered.

The program sees bait bikes monitored live through police dispatch 24 hours a day, which if stolen can be tracked to the precise location. RCMP say they are working with local businesses in securing a rotating fleet of bikes that are strategically placed throughout Whistler, to be used as ‘bait’ for thieves. The program is one of the ways police managed to reduce bike theft by 40% in the community last year.

Police want to remind bike owners to use quality locks and to register bikes with programs like ‘Project 529 Garage’ which allows owners to register and track their bike via social media and the community if stolen.

The bottom line from Whistler RCMP is that ‘bait bikes are everywhere!’.