According to one bicycle retailer in Prince Albert, one of the best ways to avoid having your bicycle stolen is to leave it a very visible location.(Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Local crime

Bicycle bandits on the prowl in Prince Albert

May 1, 2019 | 8:00 AM

Bicycle owners in Prince Albert are being encouraged by police to be extra vigilant, following a recent number of bicycle thefts in the city.

According to the Prince Albert Service there have been 15 reported thefts of bicycles this year, and eleven of those thefts occurred during the month of April.

Ron Horn, owner of Fresh Air Experience, told paNOW a lot of these thefts are happening because the bicycles are being left unattended in yards or in the backs of trucks.

“You know you stop for a minute and you go into a shop, then when you get back [the bicycle] is gone because it’s one of the easiest things to jump on and drive away,” he said.

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Horn said while some locks they sell are literally bomb proof and heavy, the most common locks they sell are the chain locks or aircraft cables. He stressed it is very important for people to try and lock up their whole bike, and take the seat out.

“The other thing we see quite often is when thieves can’t get the whole bike then they take some satisfaction in vandalizing it. If they clip your cables and take your handle bars and your brake levers and your shift levers, it’s a fairly expensive repair,” Horn said.

Ron Horn demonstrates how to properly lock up your bicycle. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

With regards to purchasing a lock, Horn said the companies who make the more high end locks will provide a warranty where if the lock is broken and the bicycle is stolen, the company will actually replace the bicycle.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell