Jacksonville police have handled at least seven bicycle, electric bicycle and scooter theft calls since the end of May, and are urging owners to lock up their rides.
Anna Zelena/Getty Images
Police are starting to see a seasonal rise in bicycle thefts, whether the traditional pedal-powered or new electric models.
Since May 31, Jacksonville police officers have responded to at least seven calls involving the theft, recovery or attempted theft of bicycles, electric bicycles or electric scooters.
Article continues below this ad
Bike thefts are common as temperatures warm and children are out of school, Lt. Mark Lonergan said.
“We typically have an increase in bike thefts this time of year,” Lonergan said. “It’s not atypical.”
Police responded May 31 to a call at 211 Capitol Way, where an electric bike was taken from one of the trailers on the property.
Police took a report June 1 from someone who lent his electric scooter to a person who refused to return it.
Article continues below this ad
In the past two weeks, a bicycle was stolen from Downtown Liquors but later returned to its owner
During that time, another electric scooter was taken from the 300 block of West Beecher Avenue, and at least two other bikes were reported stolen.
Crime Stoppers of Morgan, Scott and Cass Counties is seeking information on four bikes that were taken between May 31 and June 5 from the 900 block of Goltra Avenue.
With children taking their bicycles out and others using them for transportation, it is important for owners to take precautions to protect their property, Lonergan said.
Article continues below this ad
“We always tell people to have a bike lock or make sure you are locking it up,” Lonergan said. “I tell my own kids not to leave their bikes in the yard, but to put them in the garage or shed.”
If a place does not have a bike rack, people can invest in bike locks that make a bike unusable while the lock is in place, Lonergan said.
Bike owners also should have ways to identify their bicycles.
When someone buys a bike, Lonergan said, he recommends the owner take a picture of the bicycle and its serial number.
Article continues below this ad
Police often get calls about abandoned bikes, which are kept for a time by the department in case a bike is reported stolen and later found, Lonergan said.
It is not uncommon for someone to take a bicycle to get somewhere faster and then abandon the bike.
Someone recovered a bike June 2 from the police bike annex because of that process.
Because police often pick up abandoned bikes, it is important for people to have pictures of their bikes and serial numbers so the bikes can be identified if recovered, Lonergan said.
Article continues below this ad
That also helps when there is a dispute over ownership.
If a bike is stolen and an owner believes they have found it, they should contact police instead of confronting someone.
“We don’t want things to escalate,” Lonergan said. “Instead of being confrontational, let us investigate and go from there. This is a situation where having a picture of the bike and serial number helps.”