With thefts on the rise, Hamilton Police urge residents to register their bikes

With summer on the horizon, more people are choosing to use their bikes to commute around the city or just to get some exercise in, and those bicycles might be at risk of being stolen.

For that reason, Hamilton Police are asking cyclists to register the serial numbers of their bikes online following increased incidents of theft in the city.

According to police, around 600 bikes are stolen every year and approximately 20 per cent of bikes are recovered and returned to their owner.

Reports suggest 72 bikes have already been stolen in 2023 alone, and only two have been recovered so far. Over the course of 10 years, the service reported 5,841 stolen bikes with a recovery rate of just 4.2 per cent.

This free registry was introduced two years ago, with 400 bikes registered as of last year. Police call this a “crime of opportunity,” as people are more likely to steal an unlocked and unattended bike.

Bicycle owners are also urged to use a good-quality “U-lock” connected to the bike rack and a second one for the wheels.