Bicycle thefts in Chatham-Kent are on the rise.
Chatham-Kent Crime Stoppers says it's a crime of opportunity because people are leaving their bikes unattended and unlocked.
"They're leaving them in their backyards, or they're leaving them in their driveways at night where they're easily accessible," says Coordinator David Bakker. "Tourists have their bikes attached to motor homes, they're obviously are not locked, they're just attached to it, and those are going missing as well. They're all just targets of opportunity."
Bakker says there are a couple of things you can do to protect your bicycle.
"Pay the money to buy a good bike lock, and the other thing is don't leave them outside," he says. "You have to put them away, you have to put them in the shed, put them in the garage, put them in the house. Get them out of sight, out of mind."
If your bicycle is ever stolen, there are a few things you should do right away.
"They need to report the bike being stolen," says Bakker. "The second thing is, you have to have some proof of ownership and some way of identifying that the bike is yours. So if you have pictures of the bike, a copy of the bill of sale, the serial number, chances are you'll get it back."
The Chatham-Kent Police Service recovers hundreds of stolen bicycles every year, but many of them are never returned to their rightful owners.
