Visitors urged to be extra vigilant in Penticton when securing their bikes

PENTICTON –  With an anticipated influx of expensive bicycles into the city for the Challenge Penticton triathlon races this week, police have a word of caution for athletes and other visitors.

RCMP are advising visitors to not let their bikes out of their sight, if at all possible.

Bike theft is on the rise in Penticton with statistics showing more have been stolen so far this year compared to the same time period in the past five years. And thieves have been hitting tourist hot spots in and around motels and campgrounds. 

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth says there has definitely been an increase in thefts from motel and hotel parking lots with thieves are targetting bicycles left in racks on vehicles.

“Even though they are locked, the locks are being cut. Please take your bikes into your room for the night,” Wrigglesworth says.

He says last week on Lakeshore Drive, a man witnessed a suspect trying to cut locks from bikes on a rack mounted to the rear of a parked vehicle on Lakeshore Drive. The man was able to scare the would-be thief off by shouting at him.

Between Aug. 9 to Aug. 23, eleven bicycles were stolen in Penticton with ten of those thefts involved bikes removed from tourist related facilities.

On a positive note, Wrigglesworth says they are receiving more identification numbers with reported thefts as awareness in the city increases.

Having the bike’s serial numbers make it much easier for police to return recovered bikes to their rightful owners.

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