A bike stolen in Saanich more than three years ago was returned to its rightful owner Thursday morning.
Following a search warrant execution in the 900-block of Cloverdale Avenue on May 7, Saanich police recovered various stolen items including power tools, weapons, motorcycles and an Orbea-brand bicycle reported stolen three and a half years ago.
3 1/2 years after it was stolen from his truck, owner Krishna and son Jonah were happy to be re-united with their #Orbea bicycle. Just one of the items recovered and now returned from a recent property crime investigation.#Saanich #happycycling pic.twitter.com/isEeIYBoeQ
— Saanich Police (@SaanichPolice) May 14, 2020
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Three people were taken into custody and police have been working to return the recovered items to their rightful owners, said Const. Markus Anastasiades, public information officer for the Saanich Police Department.
In 2016, the owner of the Orbea bike called police after it went missing from the back of his truck, Anastasiades said. The owner had been about to take it out for the inaugural ride when it was stolen.
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Fortunately, when the owner reported it missing he had a serial number to give police, Anastasiades said. That enabled police to search their system, find the owner and return the bike. He emphasized the importance of keeping track of bicycle serial numbers as it greatly improves the chances of them being returned.
Anastasiades said the owner was pleased when officers returned the bike on May 14 in near-original condition – only a few modifications had been made but it was able to be ridden which isn’t always the case. Often stolen bikes are picked apart or damaged and the owners don’t want them back when they’re recovered, he said.
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