Bicycles a target in city drug trade
By Lethbridge Herald on August 30, 2023.
Sgt. Ryan Darroch, standing next to a fenced compound with recovered bicycles at the Lethbridge police station, says they see a constant flow of bike thefts connected to the drug trade in Lethbridge.
Herald photo by Steffanie CostiganSteffanie Costigan – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Bicycles can be a great means of transportation, however; they are also a big target for theft in connection with drugs in Lethbridge.
Lethbridge Police Service Sgt. Ryan Darroch said Thursday there is a connection between bike thefts and drugs here.
“We see a constant flow of bike thefts happening within Lethbridge, especially within the downtown core. Bikes are used as a form of payment at times when it comes to people involved in drug use. That’s the goal to steal a bike to trade to dealer who will give them pennies on the dollar for the value of that bike for drugs in return,” said Darroch.
Darroch said it’s a challenge to sell stolen bikes locally on Facebook or buy and sell sites which is why police track some of them all the way to Calgary and Edmonton along with local Kijiji listings. He said the main reason the policing unit deploys the use of bikes downtown is because most of the drug dealers and users use stolen bikes as a means of transportation.
“A lot of our drug users, and or drug dealers, use bikes as a form of transportation. So it’s commerce, yet it’s a way to get around. And that is one of the main reasons why our downtown policing unit deploys bikes, as we’re dealing with people on bikes.”
Darroch expressed the diligence the officers keep when retrieving the stolen bikes and the types of questions the officers ask individuals with the stolen property.
“Repeatedly our officers will come across a higher end bike or a nice bike or an e-bike within the downtown core. We walk up or drive up or park, and immediately everyone around it wants nothing to do with it… the common story we hear is ‘I was just watching it for a friend.’ A lot of those bikes that we recover are from those type of situations.”
Zach Hansen, a student at Lethbridge College, shared his experience of having his bike stolen despite it being locked up at his apartment.
“My bike was locked up on the bike rack just outside my apartment and was gone that following morning with the bike lock smashed and on the ground, so of course, I file a police report. Unfortunately the bicycle was not registered, nor did I remember the model, so I was working with very limited information while I was filing the police report,” said Hansen.
Hansen did not have sufficient information or pictures of his stolen bike to provide to the police.
Darroch described the details bike owners should have on hand to report if their bike is stolen.
“The number one thing that we push out to our population is have the serial number to your bike; know the make and model…Know the colour, the serial number, which is found right underneath the crank, like underneath your pedals. Their serial numbers are usually embedded in the metal. A lot of the newer bikes will have a sticker with a serial number there, as well.”
Darroch shared tips bike enthusiasts have done to ensure the security of their expensive bikes such as hiding an air tag in their bikes. He also emphasized the importance’s of investing in a quality lock.
“If you’re spending $1,000 on a really quality bike, then maybe spend $100 on a good quality lock. A nice bike gets stolen because someone used a dollar store lock, which can easily be cut with bolt cutters. Bolt cutters are a regular occurrence. We see them every single day within our downtown core. People just keep them on them for a crime of opportunity. See a bike with a crappy lock on it, and they’ll cut that off.”
Hansen offered tips he has thought of to discourage bike thefts in the future from taking his bike.
“Simple deterrents like taking off your bike seat or your handlebars are usually enough to discourage bike thieves from taking them. But if you want to keep your bike safe, keep it in a secure location like your apartment or house.”
Darroch agrees that keeping bikes in more secure location can discourage thefts.
“Lock it up in a like a well-lit area where there’s possibly security cameras, and just don’t leave your bike unattended.”
Darroch said stolen bikes which police aren’t able to return to their rightful owners are auctioned off at the Harry Lenz Auction.
“Have the serial number recorded because we recover bikes on a daily basis that we can’t link back to an owner. So they just go to our police auction, which is every Tuesday night at the Harry Lenz Auction. A lot of bikes go through there because we can’t get them back to an owner.
Darroch encouraged bike owners in Lethbridge to utilize the bike index – a free program people can download that Lethbridge Police Service has created to register bikes. This allows them to easily locate the owner of a stolen bike.
Police have used the program numerous times to get property back to the rightful owners, said Darroch.
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A good lock along with a good chain/cable, but even they can be cut with good bolt cutters.
Bike shops, security alarm-cameras-patrol companies, fencing companies, construction companies for renovations to fortify their business or homes, and some other businesses have benefited from this crisis.
There is no good deterrents in place anymore to punish the offenders and rehabilitate them! Society then has to pay, Children lose their bikes, while parents even lose their bike and trailer carriages they tow their young kids in. The bikes with these carriages are a hot item.
Doesn’t work if your not standing there.
There are also special hub skewers and seatpost boltsyou can buy in a kit which require a special tool.
I recommend Pinhead brand.
They replace quick release skewers and the seatpost bolt. Which means you can avoid carrying around a bulky chain.
Kryptonite lock and Pinhead skewers make the theft of your bike much more difficult.
Taking your bike inside overnight helps as well, of course.
I have seen them painting bikes, even taping bikes to change the colour right on the street. They don’t care if anyone is watching and if police come along they tell them they got it from someone else, or they found it in the alley or it is their uncle’s, or as Ryan states, they suddenly want nothing to do with the bike and don’t know where it came from.
I am happy that the Herald is printing these articles that make the public more aware of what is really happening in this city, informing them with accurate information so the public can protect their property better and themselves.
I have had many dealings with Sgt. Darroch over the years and he is one of the many dedicated members of LPS who go above and beyond every shift for this city and it’s citizens.
Police have been beat up and abused over the last few years by the defund campaign and videos posted which only show part of the incident unfairly and they continue to come to work every shift doing an already very tough job in this crisis and need our support, not our condemnation!
Again, thank you Lethbridge Herald for the serious of articles bringing to light many of the issues on our streets which many are not aware of.
Most of the crime that occurs on our streets is never in the news, mostly because the big tv media have all dumped Lethbridge in their budgets, weekends especially.
Examples:
-Sunday morning 27 Aug, serious incident at Petro Can on 6 avenue south at about 5:15 am with several police vehicles, EMS/fire rescue truck and police grid searching the area in vehicles while some used flashlights to searching sidewalks and on the street for a few hundred meters from the Petro Can with EMS leaving for hospital accompanied by LPS vehicle both with lights flashing . . . no news.
-Monday morning 28 Aug, sometime between 5am and 7 am someone broke the back door window of 514-5th avenue south (on the same block as the Petro Canada), gaining entry to the building, costing the business thousands to replace the door and install security cameras.
I could list many other instances just on that same block! Broken windows, fires, property damage, graffiti, assaults, gang fights, etc., since it is a hotspot.
I am confident the city and police are on the right track and things will improve, especially if and when we get our police force up to national averages per capita. With a city that has been on the Canadian Crime Index list as number one, and taking other high ratings for crime, how can you not support our police for the difficult job they must do, while understaffed. We need more members!
How would you like to come to work with 8-10 members on patrol for the whole city of over 100,000 people? We need to get up to full staff and people need to push city administration to make this happen!
Don’t blame police! If you see what I see every day, you would have a better appreciation for the tough job they do! Would you want their job?