Bike thefts continue to be a problem in Saskatoon and police are hoping a new campaign, #GetMyBikeBack, will help investigators return stolen bicycles to their owners.
So far in 2016, 290 bikes have been reported stolen and often end up for sale on the internet.
READ MORE: Busy weekend for Saskatoon police with almost 1,000 calls
In a recent case, a $2,500 bike was stolen from a detached garage. The owner did not have the serial number. Luckily, police were able to find out the serial number through other ways and recovered the bike, in this case a pawn shop.
Police say their investigations are difficult without identifying serial numbers.
READ MORE: Prince Albert Fire Department lifts minivan off trapped senior
The idea behind #GetMyBikeBack is to have bike owners take a picture of the serial number for future reference.
“These days, everyone has their phone either on them or within reach so we’re encouraging people to snap a quick photo of the bike’s serial number,” said Insp. Patrick Nogier.
“It’s an easy and convenient way to keep a record so that in the event your bike is stolen, the serial number is easily accessible to provide to police.”
Police are also working with local businesses to encourage people buying a bike to take a picture of the serial number before leaving the store with their purchase.
Any bikes that are recovered by police but go unclaimed are put up for auction. In 2015, over 550 bicycles went to auction.