Police hope a pair of arrests will put the brakes on a rash of bicycle thefts in Saanich.
More than 70 bicycles have been stolen since the beginning of the year, with the majority of the thefts taking place at the University of Victoria. By comparison, there were a total of 56 bikes stolen in all of 2015.
Saanich Police property crime investigators discovered bicycles listed online that were believed to be stolen. The investigation led to the arrest of a 21-year-old Saanich man and 33-year-old Victoria woman on charges of possession of property obtained by crime and possession of break-in instruments. Following the arrest, police executed a search warrant on a home in the 3900 block of Wolf Street.
“Our investigators are examining evidence that was located during the execution of the search warrant.” said acting Sgt. Jereme Leslie with Saanich Police. “We’re confident we’ve spoken with the owners of the property that’s been recovered. Once we’re able to authenticate ownership we expect more charges to be forwarded to Crown counsel.”
University students, faculty and staff are encouraged to use the Campus Bike Centre or to ensure their bicycle is secured to a proper bike rack. Saanich Police encourage people to use a bicycle lock that cannot be easily defeated, such as a U-bolt style lock. Saanich Police also urge people to record their bicycle’s serial number, or have their bike engraved, as this will assist Police in their investigation if their bike gets stolen.