As the weather gets warmer and more people are on the trails in Colorado, the Boulder Police Department says they’re starting to see a rise in bike thefts. In order to help, officers are encouraging riders not only to lock up their gear, but also to register it with the national bike index so officers can connect any found bikes with their owners.
According to the Boulder Police Department’s dashboard, over the last 10 years, less than 1% of bikes reported stolen in Boulder have been returned to their owners, valued at more than $15 million. But only a third of those, more than 9,000 stolen bikes, had a serial number provided to the police. While BPD says hundreds come into their evidence locker, because of a lack of information, officers can’t always find an owner. Last year alone, more than 500 bikes were stolen in Boulder, adding up to nearly $1 million in value.
Miguel Ortega’s bike was one of the 509 stolen bikes last year when he says he stopped at the grocery store in November…