Nanaimo RCMP says a German tourist was sleeping inside his vehicle when his $10,000 mountain bike was stolen off the roof rack.
The bicycle owner, who was visiting Vancouver Island to bike and explore, “wasted no time” and alerted Mounties to the theft. The bike was returned to the owner within a few hours of it being reported stolen, according to Nanaimo RCMP.
Police say the owner had parked in Nanaimo late on July 29.
“He decided to forgo a hotel for the evening and instead pulled into the parking lot next to the Centennial building in Beban Park,” RCMP said in a release this week.
“Before retiring for the night, he took his wheel off and locked the frame and tire to his roof rack (with) a cable lock,” they said.
“When he woke, all that was left behind of his bike was a cut cable.”
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Once realizing it was stolen, the owner went to the Nanaimo RCMP detachment, where he provided a photo of the Rocky Mountain Maiden bike.
RCMP’s Special Investigations Targeted Enforcement team (SITE) began to investigate, and “within two hours, this dedicated team of investigators had recovered the bike and returned it to an extremely grateful owner.”
The bike owner then “carried on his way,” police said.
In the Aug. 19 release, RCMP said no suspects have been identified, and the investigation into the incident continues – amid an increase in thefts of expensive mountain bikes locally in recent months, so cyclists are urged to lock up their bikes.
Young Nanaimo cyclist gets bike back
Police say Ethan Hunter, a Nanaimo youth, had just finished his day shift at work on Aug. 7 when he went to unlock his bike from a bike stand.
“The only problem,” RCMP said, “his bike was not there.”
It was stolen sometime between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. that day, after someone cut the cable lock and made off with the bike, an orange and blue Scott Aspen 960.
Hunter reported the theft to RCMP, who subsequently checked CCTV camera but found nothing that would help identify the suspect, reads a release.
Three days later, a Mountie out on patrol saw a bike that resembled Hunter’s.
“Although it was green, the make and model matched the information on file. The individual in possession of the bike told Cst. Seredick that he had bought it for $40 from a stranger, but if the officer wanted it, he could have it,” RCMP said.
“Cst. Seredick didn’t waste any time and seized it for safekeeping,” they said, adding that later that day, Hunter’s parents confirmed the bike was their son’s. Thanking Seredick, the young cyclist later met with a Mountie to discuss tips to prevent bike theft.
Police say without a “relatively secure lock,” experienced bike thieves can use bolt cutters or angle grinders and easily break the lock within minutes.
“Locks can be expensive, but if it prevents your bike from being stolen, it’s worth the expenditure,” said Nanaimo RCMP R/Const. Gary O’Brien.
“The best advice is to do some research on what lock works for you and your budget, or drop into a local bike shop and speak to one of their employees,” he said.
“Generally, U-locks, heavy-duty chain locks, folding locks and cable locks are considered effective for deterring bike thefts,” added RCMP.
To help reduce theft, Nanaimo RCMP encourages owners to park their bikes in a visible location, remove accessories, consider a GPS tracker, take photos of the bike and never leave it unattended. You can also register a bike with 529 Garage.