Mounties in Prince George and local Rotarians are working together to help deter bike theft in the city.
On Aug. 9, the Nechako Rotary and RCMP representatives will be at eight different neighbourhoods across Prince George, for two hours at a time, encouraging cyclists to register their bikes through the 529 Garage program.
It helps assist police in returning bikes to their rightful owner if it's stolen and can be accessed online as well as through a smartphone app.
“The Prince George RCMP is excited to partner with the Nechako Rotary Club to help end bike theft in our community,” Prince George RCMP Cpl. Craig Douglass says in a release.
“Without the Nechako Rotary Club’s support, we wouldn’t be able to provide this service for free and certainly could not organize a large event such as the Great Big Bike Registry.”
In four years, 3,000 cyclists in Prince George have registered their bikes.
The goal next month is to register 500 bikes with 529 Garage.
“Rotary is all about creating lasting change in the community and volunteering our time to make a difference,” Nechako Rotary President Rachelle Delorey adds. “This is a fantastic community service project for our club working alongside the RCMP in encouraging cyclists to register their bikes with 529 Garage and helping deter bike theft in Prince George.”
Volunteers will help cyclists create online profiles that include photos of their bike, serial number and photos of them with the bike.
"In the event a 529 Garage bike is stolen, with a few taps from their phone, a victim can immediately alert the police and fellow 529 Garage registrants (using the app) of the theft. Alerts are accomplished via push notifications sent out like text messages," the release reads. "The victim may choose to include photos of his/her bike and a reward. If the stolen bike is spotted, witnesses can use the 529 Garage app to send a victim tips, including photos and location details. "
The Aug. 9 schedule for registration is as follows:
9 to 11 a.m.
- Cpl. Darren Fitzpatrick Bravery Park (6877 Glenview Dr.)
- College Heights Secondary parking lot (6189 Domano Blvd.)
11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
- Hart Highlands Elementary School (2233 Sussex Lane.)
- Vanway Elementary School (4509 Highway 16 West.)
2 to 4 p.m.
- D.P. Todd Secondary School parking lot (4444 Hill Ave.)
- Duchess Park City Park (2425 Ross Cres.)
4:15 to 6 p.m.
- Blackburn Community Centre (2451 Blackburn Rd. South.)
- Nusdeh Yoh Elemengary School (2579 Victoria St.)
Organizers say they will be complying with COVID-19 safety requirements wearing face masks and gloves.
