Over the course of four days recently, Kamloops Mounties targeted bicycle thefts through the use of a Kamloops-designed bait bike program — with eight men arrested and 23 charges laid.
One of those arrested was a man who had just been married hours earlier.
In the bait bike program, police lock up bikes in places where criminals may see them. The bikes are kept under surveillance and if a suspect cuts the lock and steals the bike, officers are in a position to make an arrest.
The project targeted certain problem areas and resulted in the following arrests of Kamloops residents:
• A 43-year-old man arrested for theft and possessing property obtained by crime.
• A 39-year-old man arrested for possessing property obtained by crime and trespass by night.
• A 28-year-old man arrested for theft, possessing property obtained by crime and obstructing police.
• A 45-year-old man arrested for theft and possessing property obtained by crime.
• A 32-year-old man arrested for theft, possessing property obtained by crime, obstructing police, trespass by night and mischief.
• A 33-year-old man arrested for possessing a controlled substance and trafficking a controlled substance, with the drugs suspected to be methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin.
• A 45-year-old man arrested for theft, possessing property obtained by crime and possessing break-in tools.
• A 41-year-old from Kamloops arrested for theft, possessing property obtained by crime and driving while prohibited.
"In situations like this, we conduct the criminal investigation, but we also seek to understand who these people are and why they are offending,” Kamloops RCMP Staff Sgt. Simon Pillay said in a release. “None of the eight suspects are homeless. Most of those involved are known participants in the drug scene, either as an addict, user or both. One has recently been convicted of drug trafficking and is pending sentencing."
Pillay said the eighth suspect arrested, the 41-year-old man, had been married earlier in the day and was en route to his formal wedding reception when he was arrested. It is alleged he saw a locked bike and made time to stop, cut the lock and steal the bike.
Pillay said the bike was recovered in the man’s vehicle while he was driving while prohibited from doing so.
“The investigators noticed he was well dressed for conducting a bike theft and later were contacted by the concerned bride,” Pillay said.
