Bike theft number on the decline in Calgary, but pricier rides being targeted

Bike thefts have become a common crime in Calgary but thieves appear to be focusing their efforts primarily on high-end bicycles.

According to the Calgary Police Service, 1,167 bikes were reported stolen last year, an average of slightly more than three bikes per day.

Bike Index — a non-profit organization that tracks stolen bicycles — says 2022 is shaping up to be less severe for bike theft frequency in Calgary than the previous two years but much more costly for the owners.

"2020 and 2021, without a doubt in every city that we operate in were the absolute craziest years we've ever seen period, hands down," said Bike Index co-founder Bryan Hance.  "(2022 is) the first year it's sort of feeling a little bit like it's calming down a little bit. But having said that, it's still really bad."

Hance says his organization received nearly 60 reports of stolen bikes in Calgary in March with a total value exceeding $115,000.

He says thieves are now targeting electric and mountain bikes.

"It's not uncommon for us to see $5,000, $6,000 or $7,000 bike in Calgary and in Canada in areas that have really intense mountain biking communities," explained Hance.

"I don't think people realize that these thefts are not small thefts, these thefts are people take two bikes, and that could be $12,000 easy."

Bike Index says some of its staff are tasked with trying to locate bikes on resale websites such as Kijiji or Facebook marketplace.

Hance encourages everyone to input their bike information to the Bike Index website so stolen bikes can be tracked.