PORTLAND, Ore. – Police in Bike Town USA are now taking bike thefts seriously enough to form a dedicated task force to fight them.
The Portland Bike Theft Task Force officially launched Tuesday.
More than 2,700 bikes were reported stolen in 2014 and the problem costs the city around $2 million a year, according to Portland Police Chief Larry O'Dea.
"We're here because we have seen an alarming rise in the number of bikes being stolen in Portland," O'Dea said. "City bikes racks have been sawed through with power tools, people have their bicycles stolen right off the racks off their cars, off the porches of their houses. This cannot continue."
Two bike patrol officers will work with community partners Jonathan Maus of Bike Portland, bicycle registration organizations Bike Index and 529 Garage, and the Portland Bureau of Transportation to try and cut down on thefts.
The task force is asking bike owners to register and take photos of their bikes to help track stolen property. A new website, Endbiketheft.org, offers a list of resources.
The officers will also train police how to look for serial numbers and spot stolen bikes.
"Bicycling is a fundamental facet of Portland's culture," Hales said. "This partnership will help spread bike owner best practices, such as recording and registering serial numbers, so we can work together to protect one of our favorite modes of transportation."
KGW previously reported on the apparent growing problem of bike "chop shops," which gather stolen bikes and piece them out to sell as parts or reconstruct as new bikes. That investigation showed that bike thefts doubled in just five years.
A new sticker product also shows promise as an innovative tool to fight bike thefts. The "anti-theft dots" are sold at many local bike shops.
For more on the bike theft task force, click here.
