Ottawa police recover 77 stolen bikes through Project Handlebar

Ottawa police are reuniting riders with their stolen bicycles — and doing it through their second bike recovery campaign, Project Handlebar.

After the success of last fall’s Project Hot Wheels — which saw the recovery of more than 44 stolen bicycles, with an estimated value of $30,000 — police are back at it again with Project Handlebar.

The project was launched in the winter and has already recovered another 72 bikes with a value of about $70,000 — 54 of which have already been returned to their owners.

“We are really invested in this,” Cst. Richard Zulys said. “We often chip away at recovering these bikes when we are not out on active calls.”

Officers use 529 Garage, a bicycle registration app. along with other investigative tools to help identify stolen bikes.

Ottawa Police Service said it credits the app with making it easier and faster to get them back to their owners if they have already registered with the program.

“That’s important, you need to register ahead of time in order for the app to help us help you,” said Cst. Samson Vo.

The app was launched in 2019 in partnership with OPS, Bike Ottawa and Safer Roads Ottawa.

It’s simple to use: download 529 Garage to your smartphone, take a few photos of your bike and register your serial number.

For more information on the app, go to OttawaPolice.ca/endbiketheft.

The three officers, with the help of Sgt. Evan Hung, are working on further developing new policies that will help create efficiencies in bike theft response.

One of those ideas includes a plan to set aside storage space at Elgin Station to provide easier access for residents recovering their bikes.

“We identified that there are barriers to successfully returning bikes to some owners,” Cst. Ryan Cuthbert said. “Not everyone can get to our Swansea Crescent location, so we wanted to do something to make it easier and more effective.”

“We have taken the lessons we learned from Project Hot Wheels and employed them with Project Handlebar,” Zulys added. “It’s helped us to streamline how we are educating other officers.”

The officers also credit social media and the active cycling community in Ottawa for helping them to recover stolen bicycles.

Facebook groups like Stolen Bikes Ottawa often provide valuable tips that our officers use to investigate and follow up.

Most bike thefts in the city, they said, often involve repeat offenders — and sharing information about these people help police network, identify and recover more stolen bikes.

“Some bicycles are a significant financial investment, so it’s important that you protect your property and register with 529 Garage,” Zulys explained.

Pre-registering with 529 Garage also helps police establish a chain of ownership, which can assist officers in charging individuals with those crimes.

“For those reluctant to press charges, we can simply take a statement (affidavit) and a photograph of the bicycle that can be presented in court, without you even having to attend,” Vo said. “We want to encourage you to follow through on filing a report so we can charge people engaged with stealing bicycles, who are typically repeat offenders.”

Thefts can also be reported online at OttawaPolice.ca/onlinereporting. Anonymous tips can also be sent into to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.