One bait bike, two hours of deployment.
That’s how long it took for Prince George RCMP to arrest three thieves on Wednesday, May 15 after deploying the two-wheeler in the community, including the first arrest within four minutes of the initial start time on.
The suspect, Orlando James Egnell, was arrested by officers and held in custody overnight after taking the bait bike and was charged in court the next day (May 16) for Theft Under $5,000 by the B.C. Prosecution Service.
The 31-year-old has been released on certain conditions and will be back in court on June 5, 2019.
The second incident occurred within minutes of the bait bike’s deployment, an hour after the first scenario, when a 49-year-old Prince George man was arrested.
He was released on a Promise to Appear in court on a to-be-determined date and a report hasn’t yet been given to the B.C. Prosecution Service.
Minutes following that arrest, a third man, also from Prince George, stole the bait bike on a third deployment in the same area.
The 30-year-old suspect was arrested and released as well on a Promise to Appear in court on July 3, 2019
Police are encouraging the public once again to take all necessary precautions when taking your bike out for a ride and leaving it alone as they will continue target thieves through the bait bike program.
In a release, Mounties say most bike owners don’t know the serial number of their two-wheeler or don’t have it readily available, making it harder to recover the bike if stolen.
Prince George RCMP advise the following tips:
- Register your bike with a program such as the 529 Garage App
- Essential information like make, model, serial number, and photos are recorded and accessible on any internet device
- Always use a high-quality lock designed for bicycles
- Avoid cables and inexpensive locks as they can be defeated easily and quickly
- Report bike thefts right away
- Many thefts are never reported to police, giving officers no chance of arresting someone in possession of it. Even if the bike isn't worth much to you, reporting it could help arrest a thief.
Anyone with more information on bike theft in the city is asked to call the Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300, anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or online at www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca.
