Many Parkites own bicycles with price tags reaching into the thousands of dollars — road bikes and mountain bikes coveted by thieves for their value on the black market.
Bicycle buyers do not need to pay anything, though, to try to combat thefts as part of a free Park City Police Department program meant to protect bicycles in the community from thieves.
The Police Department offers a registration program for bicycles, providing officers with detailed information about a bicycle should it be stolen. The police say the program deters thieves since bicycles that are registered are outfitted with stickers provided by the Police Department and it is easier to return a bicycle to an owner if one is stolen and then recovered.
Someone who wants to register their bicycle must provide the Police Department with contact information and details about the bicycle, including the make, model, color, size and serial number.
Registration is available on the Police Department’s section of the City Hall website, www.parkcity.org . There was a direct link, labeled ‘Bicycle Registration,’ on the front page of the site early in the week. The link was also available via the “I Want To…” dropdown menu at the top of the front page. Select ‘Register my Bicycle.’ Registration may also be done at the police station weekdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Once they register, they will receive a sticker in the mail to put on the bicycle. A release from the Police Department says the sticker “often helps deter most potential bike thieves.”
Since 2007, the Police Department says, 268 bicycles have been registered. The program is similar to one offered by the police allowing people to register skis.
Phil Kirk, a police captain, said statistics show reports of bicycle thefts dropping from 2012 to 2013, calling the numbers “certainly encouraging.” The Police Department says four bicycle thefts were reported between Jan. 1 and June 30 of 2013. In the same period in 2012, according to the department, 10 thefts were reported. There were 22 bicycle thefts reported throughout 2012.
Kirk said owners should take other measures to protect their bicycles, including using locks, keeping them inside at night and keeping the garage closed at all times.
For more information, visit the website or contact Bill Morris, a reserve officer. He is reachable at 615-5538 or [email protected] .