Bike thefts in Toronto are way up

Cycling has never been more popular in Toronto and neither has bike thefts.

According to the CBC, bike thefts have gone up 26 per cent from 2014 to 2016, with mountain and black-coloured bikes being targeted the most by thieves.

I feel like bike theft in #Toronto is getting worse? 🤔

— Emma Hunt (@emmahunt10) October 4, 2017

Numbers obtained from the Toronto Police show that 3,728 were reported stolen last year and only 49 were recovered.

Breaking and entering is up 74 per cent since 2014 as well, a troubling trend that has a lot of people wondering what should be done about this epidemic.

I'm shocked at the length one needs to go to keep a bike from theft in #Toronto. :( #cycling #theft

— AnnChow (@AnnChow) April 11, 2017

Nearly everyone in Toronto has felt the sting of having a bike or two stolen. But the problem comes from the difficulty in identifying and apprehending bike thieves.

Recovery is also rarity for bike owners, with Police citing the convertible nature of the bike, which can be quickly and easily converted into cash or parts and sold on the streets or online.

Yeah Toronto is really bad for bike theft. Some bike shops will buy stolen ones, so people steal them just to get a few bucks.

— Mike Zombie (@ZombieSecurity) September 6, 2017

There is the occasional victory for bike owners, like the arrest of notorious bike thief Igor Kenk many years back, but until a viable solution comes along, there's always bike sharing.