Protecting your bike can be as simple as downloading an app | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Kamloops News

Protecting your bike can be as simple as downloading an app

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KAMLOOPS - Bike thefts have often been called a crime of opportunity, but Kamloops RCMP is trying to make it harder for thieves to get away with it.

Const. Sofie Winkels says an app that came to the city last year has been helping bike owners, but she's hoping more people sign up to protect their property.

"A lot of people... have their bike, they love their bike but they don’t have a photo of their bike, they don’t have a serial number," Winkels says.

It causes a major headache if your bike gets stolen, as it's difficult to prove ownership without a recorded serial number. The Garage 529 app allows bike owners to register the serial number and even post a picture with their bike.

Once your bike is registered, you can put a tamper-proof decal on it in order to deter thieves from taking it.

"If someone is riding around on a bike at weird hour and see that decal, (police) can look into it and see if it’s been reported stolen," Winkels says. "I actually had (a decal) stick to my hand and I was picking the thing off for days."

Kamloops RCMP is hosting a Garage 529 event this weekend in hopes of getting more people registered with the app.

You can bring your bike to the event and have officers help you register it, or you can register at home and receive a decal this weekend.

So far this year, Winkels says RCMP has handed out about 100 Garage 529 decals. She says it's important for people to take added security measures for their bike, like purchasing a good lock, storing it indoors, recording the serial number, and having a picture of it.

To register your bike or for more information, go here.


To contact a reporter for this story, email Ashley Legassic or call 250-319-7494 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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