Faced with an uptick in bicycle thefts across the Peninsula, the Sidney/North Saanich RCMP have joined forces with Project529, a non-profit organization dedicated to bike safety, to combat the issue and reunite stolen bikes with their rightful owners.
The initiative provides bicycle owners with serialized bike shield stickers, making identification and recovery easier.
According to Sidney/North Saanich RCMP, 25 bikes were reported stolen in 2024, a number they believe is likely below the actual number of thefts due to unreported incidents.
Police noted that e-bikes were specifically targeted in several thefts from underground parking lots.
While the 2024 figures are similar to the 24 bikes stolen in 2023, a common thread links the cases: owners often lacked serial numbers or detailed descriptions, hindering the recovery process.
“Every year, RCMP recovers a significant number of bikes that remain unclaimed due to the absence of identifying information,” the detachment said.
Recognizing this challenge, the Sidney/North Saanich RCMP have prioritized community bike registration as a key objective for the year.
The partnership with Project529 aims to address this issue head-on.
Project529 provides a platform for registering bikes with serial numbers and other identifying features, creating a comprehensive database that law enforcement can use to track stolen bicycles.
While 28 bicycles have been registered in Sidney and North Saanich through Project529 between January 2024 and January 2025, reports detail the theft of one e-bike valued at $3,730 in June 2024, a BMX bike worth $900 in August 2024 and the recovery of one stolen electric scooter valued at over $1,000.
To encourage community participation, the Sidney/North Saanich RCMP is offering free registration and serialized sticker kits to residents who visit their detachment at 9895 Fourth St. in Sidney.
The RCMP will also be present at various community events to promote bike registration, including the Repair Cafe Bicycle Day at Repair Cafe in North Saanich on May 17, the Spring Fair at KELSET Elementary on May 30, Sidney Elementary on June 6 and the Sidney Night Market from June to September.
