Bike thefts in Brandon jump more than 30% in 2023 after dipping year before, police say

Cara Tully and Jasmine Krahn say having their bikes stolen as they slept was a rude awakening.

They set out to take their bikes for a spin in Brandon, Man., one day last fall, only to find cut locks hanging where the bicycles should be.

They made posts on social media and contacted the Brandon Police Service but found no leads on their missing rides.

Losing her bicycle was a major setback because it was her main form of transportation, Tully said. 

"I used it to get to all of my appointments. I used it for exercise.… It has kind of created some barriers," she said.

"This whole situation kind of just made me a bit jaded.… It's like a violation of your privacy, and it makes you mad."

Tully and Krahn's bikes were among the 190 stolen in 2023, according to Brandon police — a 31 per cent jump from the 145 bikes stolen in 2022.

However, the 2022 number was below the five-year average, according to numbers provided from Brandon Police Service Sgt. Dana McCallum.

Thefts can range significantly from year to year, the police service's numbers show. There were between 182 and 185 bikes stolen each year from 2019 to 2021, but 2018 saw 265 thefts — the highest number in the past decade, said McCallum.

But "we may start to see an increase in more bike thefts, especially as costs rise. Usually, bikes are stolen and then they're exchanged for drugs or food or different items," McCallum said.

"Unfortunately, I don't think that we're going to see a decrease anytime soon."

Tully said Krahn's stolen bicycle was eventually recovered, after someone was spotted riding it downtown — but it was so damaged it was unrideable.

Krahn recently purchased a new bicycle, and the only thing she needs now is a better lock, she said. She no longer stores it outside, instead bringing it up to their apartment.

"It's a little bit of extra work hauling them up the stairs, but it's worth it for the safety," Krahn said.

Tully is still saving up to get a new bike, which is a source of stress since the rising cost of living makes it hard to save, she said.

The loss of transportation has also affected her ability to job hunt, she said. Brandon's public transportation isn't as convenient as having a bike, said Tully, so she wants work within walking distance of her home.

"It's unfortunate that property is being stolen from people who need it and who are unable to replace it," she said.

Keeping bikes safe

Bike thefts are often a crime of opportunity and can happen anywhere in the city, McCallum said, but there are precautionary steps owners can take.

Brandon police encourage people to keep their bikes locked up and register for the free 529 Garage program, which can help reunite owners with a recovered bicycle.

Stolen bikes recovered by police that can't be reunited with their owners are auctioned off at the annual Kiwanis Bicycle Auction.

People can reclaim their bicycles at the auction if they can provide proof they own it, such as a picture or serial number.

About two to five per cent of bikes put up for sale at the auction are reclaimed by their owners, according to Keith Scott, chair of the bike auction committee.

He said around 250 bicycles are sold in two auctions each year, with the revenue helping support Kiwanis community projects. 

"It's bad that people lose their bikes," Scott said, but "it's nice to be able to at least take the bike and … generate some revenue that we can put back into some programs that will help somebody else."

Jillian Creasor's son had his bike stolen out of their gated backyard in the east end of Brandon. The theft came after Creasor's bike — which she bought at the Kiwanis auction — was stolen from the same spot five years ago.

She didn't make a police report because they didn't have the serial number, she said.

"I knew that nothing was gonna come out of it anyway," said Creasor. "It is such an issue in Brandon."

Krahn says she plans to take steps to help get her new bike back in case it's stolen. With the previous bikes that were nabbed, she didn't have a picture or the bicycle's serial number.

"Having a good description in mind — being able to identify what makes your bike different from another bike that might look just like it — is one of the key things," Krahn said.

"I'm definitely going to be better documented this time."