A man is in custody and a woman has been reunited with her missing bicycle after she noticed it for sale online and set up a sting operation.
Victoria police said the woman first reported her bicycle stolen on July 3 from an underground parking garage in the 600 block of Michigan Street. After filing her report, she kept on eye out online to see if it turned up. On Tuesday, she spotted her bike for sale.
The woman had a friend call about the bicycle, express interest in buying it and arrange a meeting. But when a man showed up with the bike, he was met by plainclothes Victoria police officers. He was taken into custody and the bicycle was returned to its owner. Charges are being recommended, including possession of stolen property.
Police say bicycle thefts are an ongoing issue and attract determined thieves. In this case, the bicycle was locked and stored within a secured underground parking facility. The victim’s tenacity and online search greatly assisted the investigation, police said.
Victoria police recommend bicycle owners protect themselves by registering their bicycles with police. Registering a bike is free and makes it easier for police to identify it as stolen and return it more quickly. For more information, go to vicpd.ca/bike.
