(An 1888 Geared Facile Bicycle at the Conventry Transport Museum. Photo: Wikimedia)
The theft of bikes will be minimized with the donation of 1,000 project protected shields from Safer Roads Ottawa (SRO) who have joined the Ottawa Police Services (OPS) as a new sponsor.
Starting on June 17th, the shields will be available at OPS Front Desk Service locations<https://www.ottawapo
“The response to the registry has been amazing,” said Project Coordinator Sergeant Art Wong. “We are delighted to have Safer Roads Ottawa on board; they have been a valued partner with Ottawa Police on multiple projects.”
To obtain a shield from the OPS front desk, you have to create an account with 529 Garage, then pre-register your bike. Your registration should include a clear photo of you with your bike and a photo of the bike’s serial number. It is not necessary to have your bike with you when you pick-up your shield at the OPS front desk locations.
OPS, OSC and Bike Ottawa have collaborated with area bike shops to sign them up for the program giving cyclists an easy way to obtain a sticker, for a small fee. A couple of local shops who have signed on are: Kundstadt Sports and Bushtukah. Just contact the bike shops to ensure they have shields in stock before you visit.
“To date, almost 2,000 Ottawa-area cyclists have registered with 529 Garage and the Ottawa Police and its partners, OSC and Bike Ottawa, have given out 550 shields at local bike events,” added Sgt. Wong.
The 529 Garage app functions as both a formal bicycle registry as well as a way to connect with police and other registered users any time a bike has gone missing. Additionally, it coordinates with the OPS’s Evidence Control Section to periodically review inventory and reconnect owners with their bikes.
Ottawa is among the first to adopt this new app in the province, and the program has seen a 30% to 55% reduction in bike thefts in cities where it was launched on the West Coast. To learn more about the 529 Garage registry, please visit ottawapolice.ca/endbiketheft.