Nanaimo RCMP say their Bait Bike program is making criminals think twice, and is disrupting the local drug culture.
Two local men, both in their 40’s, were arrested two days apart, within minutes of stealing a Bait bike. Both men have been charged and are currently before the courts. 46-year-old Joshua Susee-Holmes and 45-year-old Leslie Winterburn were found in possession of stolen Bait bikes and charged with Theft under $5000.
On January 13, 2021, a Bait bike was deployed in downtown Nanaimo. Not long afterwards, officers observed that the bike had been stolen. Officers quickly moved in and arrested Susee- Holmes with the bike. At the time of his arrest, he was less than 100 yards from where the bike was deployed. Susee-Holmes was arrested for theft. He was also found to be in possession of a stolen cheque and debit card.
On January 15, 2021, a Bait bike was deployed at an undisclosed location. Again, officers observed that the bike had been stolen, and just seven 7 minutes later Winterburn was arrested with the Bait bike. He was also found in possession of several grams of suspected methamphetamine and fentanyl, and faces two counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking under the CDSA.
Many of the Bait bikes that are stolen are taken by individuals who are entrenched in the drug culture and property crime related thefts. To have these persons held accountable for their crimes is a huge win for the citizens of Nanaimo. Additionally, it definitely makes criminals think twice before stealing another bike. said Constable Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP.
Bait Bikes come in all sizes, shapes and colour and are deployed throughout the city.
RCMP encourage cyclists to always lock your bike and ensure it is registered at Project 529. To find our more a about this effective bike registry program currently being used by many police agencies, go to Project 529 at https://project529.com/garage
