Oceanside RCMP recovers hundreds of bicycles each year with no way of knowing who the owners are.
The local detachment is now partnering with Oceanside Community Safety volunteers to help bicycle owners protect their property by encouraging owners to register their bikes.
On Aug. 29, with the help of volunteers, they will be at Island Cycle, located at 114 Hirst Ave East, Parksville from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help residents register their bicycle for free. They will take down serial numbers and descriptions of each bike using an app called 529 Garage.
Another registration event was held during a park party in San Pareil Friday.
It will take only five minutes and it will help your protect owners’ bicycles from theft. A 529 Garage decal will be provided and will serve as a deterrent against thieves, RCMP say, as they would know the bicycle is listed in a bike registry.
In the event a bicycle goes missing, owners will have everything they need to activate the police and community to help recover their property.
Under the program, owners will have to report the stolen bike to Parksville RCMP. This will also help police and the community better understand the scope of the problem, as well as make it easier to interrupt criminal behaviour.
— NEWS Staff/
Oceanside RCMP release