People have been asking me how registering your bike with the police department database will cut down on bike thievery around here. Heres a quick explanation: 1. Bikes are currently the easiest/fastest thing to turn into cash in Salt Lake. 2. Pawn shops legally have to check this database before they can accept a bike from someone to sell. They will get heavily fined and/or shutdown if they knowingly sell a stolen bike. 3. If your bike gets recovered, but you havent registered it, it will most likely go into a huge warehouse at the police department. Theres (normally) no way for the police to associate the bike with you directly. If someone doesnt claim the bike, it will be eventually sold in a big batch at auction. Just think, your stolen bike could be at the station right now! 4. We need to do our part as a community to protect ourselves. Theres a system in place, but most arent using it (or dont know how to). If everyone registered their bikes, people stealing them would be held accountable or they wont think its worth the risk to steal it. The lady who was riding around on my bike claimed she bought it at a pawn shop. Thats still to be determined, BUT if I had registered it prior to it being stolen, that couldnt be claimed. This Saturday, Ill be at the 9th & 9th Street Festival registering bikes with my SLC Bike Crew. The Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective has been amazing and allowed me to represent them and use the police database under their supervision. So come down and register your bike! Its literally ONE DOLLAR. Or come say hi to me. Or come help at the booth. Whatever. Just do SOMETHING.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 16:18:30 +0000