Police have deployed "bait bikes" in the community to catch bicycle thieves. (CHAT News File Photo)

By Chris Brown

Deployed by ALERT and MHPS

‘Bait bikes’ catch four bicycle thieves

Sep 13, 2021 | 10:40 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Police are cracking down on bicycle thefts by using “bait bikes” in the community.

Bait bikes are bicycles equipped with tracking, identification and other technologies which allow officers to follow their movement, police explain in a release.

They say that over a short period, the bikes were stolen on four occasions. All four persons responsible for the thefts were quickly arrested and charged with theft under $5,000.

“The (suspects) were all between the ages of 30 to 50 and two of them were already charged on.. previous crimes and they breached their release conditions,” Medicine Hat Police Service Staff Sgt. Kelsey Fraser said.

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The bikes were deployed by ALERT Regional Property Crime Unit with assistance from the Medicine Hat Police Service in response to several thefts.

ALERT and MHPS say they will continue to target those responsible for committing these crimes and other thefts.

Residents can reduce the chances of being a victim of bicycle theft with a few simple steps:

• Invest in a good lock – a U-lock is recommended. Lock your wheels and frame together, use a designated bike rack as sign poles, trees, fences, etc. are not as secure
• Lock bikes in well-lit, well-traveled areas
• When not in use/overnight, store your bike in a locked garage or shed if possible
• Record the serial number and register your bike at BikeIndex.org.

Bike Index is a non-profit, online bike registry to prove ownership, alert the community if a bike has been stolen, search a found bicycle to identify its owner and help police return recovered bicycles to their rightful owners as soon as possible.

The free registry allows bike owners to log all the bike’s information. A photo, physical description (make/model/distinguishing characteristics) and serial number are all that is required. Once registered, a Bike Index sticker can be picked up at the police station, Gravity Sports or CyclePath.

If your bike is stolen, report it to police at mhps.ca, via the MHPS mobile app or by calling 403-529-8481. The bike can also be marked as lost or stolen on Bike Index. When the bike is recovered, the code can be scanned, and the owner will be contacted. If a bike wasn’t registered before it went missing, the owner can still create an account and mark it as stolen.