“There’s been a little bit of uptick” in bicycle thefts due to the warmer weather, which means more people are out and about on bikes, said Lt. Frank Stearns of the Mason City Police Department.
Although there has been one reported case this spring where someone broke into a garage to steal bikes and another where someone cut a lock on a bicycle, most of the time it’s a “crime of opportunity” where a thief sees an unsecured bike and takes it, Stearns said.
Every year the Police Department recovers hundreds of bikes that they can’t return to people because they are not licensed, meaning ownership can’t be proved, according to Stearns.
The Police Department’s annual auction of unclaimed bikes took place two weeks ago.
Two things people can do to help police recover their bicycle if it is stolen is to keep a record of the serial number and get the bike licensed, according to Stearns.
Also, if a bike is stolen, owners should check back with the police within 30 days after they report it, he said.
Read more...