Bike thefts gearing down, Victoria police say

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Just over 450 bikes were reported stolen during the first week of November, suggesting numbers are trending down from last year.

Bike theft in Victoria is on the decline, Victoria Police Chief Del Manak says.

During his quarterly presentation to the Victoria council on Thursday, Manak noted that 451 bikes were reported stolen during the first week of November, suggesting the numbers are down from last year, when there were 551 reports of stolen bikes.

“It’s really encouraging to see where we are with bike thefts,” Manak said. He added, however, that bike theft is still underreported, as many people don’t expect to get their bikes back.

Bike theft in Victoria hit a peak in 2015 with reports of 857 bikes stolen.

Manak said people are now more vigilant, as bicycles can often cost thousands of dollars and are often the only source of transportation for cyclists. Awareness has also increased, he said.

“People, I think, are attuned and aware of proactively preventing bikes from being stolen.”

Manak also credited the city of Victoria’s free bike valet service near Centennial Square, which allows residents to check out their bikes and other personal mobility devices for free while downtown.

Manak was also optimistic about the state of the center during his presentation, calling it safe and vibrant and saying that the department continues with foot patrols and deploying more resources in the center.

“Is it perfect? ​​No,” he told the council. “It’s not perfect, but it’s safe, it’s thriving and people are coming downtown.”

The department’s calls for service remain high, he said.

In the third quarter of 2023, there were 10,297 calls for service, a slight decrease from the same quarter in 2022, when there were 10,383, although this is an increase from the second quarter of this year, when there were 9,218.

Manak said calls typically spike in July, August and September.

He said that the department is again facing a strain on its resources due to the calls that require the attention of several officers and, in some cases, emergency response teams, as well as the protests.

These types of calls, understaffing, injuries and illnesses have led to increased overtime costs, he said.

Manak said the department is focused on prevention and early intervention for officers.

The department has added an in-house psychologist, instituted annual wellness checks and requested the addition of a reintegration officer to help members return to work, he said.

aduffy@timescolonist.com

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