Cops in this northern city are using 'bait bikes' to catch thieves

Stolen bikes are a big problem in North Bay. There is even a Facebook page dedicated to it with 1,500 members.

So police have decided to target bicycle thieves with so-called "bait bikes" — which can be tracked after they're swiped.

The results have been instant: the first bait bike was promptly stolen and police were able to track down the suspect and make an arrest.

“Bikes are and will be strategically deployed throughout the city. Our bikes can be tracked, and if you’re caught taking one, you will be arrested and charged accordingly," says Inspector of Operations Jeff Warner.

“Despite the initiative being launched later than anticipated, we immediately saw results with the bait bike being stolen and one person being charged with theft and breach of probation."

Bike thefts occur year-round, and this initiative will be ongoing throughout the year, making offenders think twice about taking a bike, not knowing if the police are tracking it.

More than 100 bikes have been reported stolen so far in North Bay in 2023. 

"Many of these bikes are never recovered, and rarely get returned to their owners," says a news release. "The North Bay Police Service would like to remind bicycle owners to report the thefts, which will help the service gather the data required to strategically target areas where these thefts are regularly occurring."

Here's some tips to stop thieves from stealing your bike.

• Park bikes in well-lit areas
• Use heavy-duty locks to secure bikes
• Park bikes in areas designated for bike parking or in areas with CCTV coverage.

Owners are also encouraged to register their bikes with “529 Garage," a national database of photos and information and individualized stickers for each bike, which the North Bay Police Service can access to return stolen bikes. 

Stolen and abandoned bikes are clogging up the storage area of the North Bay police station on Victoria Street, so they'll no longer pick them up and hold them for auction or pickup by owners.

See: Cops overwhelmed with stored bikes. Working on bike registry system

Under the new policy, officers won't be sent out to collect discarded bicycles unless the caller can provide information that will allow police to identify the owner.