Windsor cyclist’s take notice of bike thefts

By Barry Hazlehurst

Bicycle theft has become an epidemic in Windsor causing cyclists to take extra precautions when leaving their bicycles unattended.

Windsorites have created a Facebook page under the heading Stolen Bikes of Windsor to report stolen bikes and have the community keep an eye out for their property. The Windsor Police Service also have a bike registry which helps stolen bikes to be returned to their owners.

Adam Hughes, a 16-year-old from Windsor, has had five bicycles stolen from him in the city in his lifetime.

“Three of my bikes had the locks cut in broad daylight. The other two were only left unattended for a minute and they were gone,” said Hughes.

They were all taken in the area of Parent and Erie. Hughes said a heavy duty lock has kept his new bike secure for now.

According to outsideonline.com cyclists should be wary of cable type locks as they are easy to snip with wire cutters. Multiple locks are always better than one as the more secure the bike appears, the less likely thieves will target it.

Oran Amato, a 28-year-old who recently moved from Toronto to Windsor, said the big city taught him how to keep his bike from being stolen.

“Always use thick metal chains to secure your bike with a decent pad lock,” said Amato.

“The only way a thief could get through that is with an obvious bolt cutter or a power tool.”

The number of bicycles reported stolen each year in Windsor is around 400. This number has increased every year since 2014.