Bike theft central
Hey cyclists - missing a bike?
I happen to know that at least a dozen were stolen over the past year near Quebec and Terminal, which is essentially the location of Science World.
The thefts occurred between July 6, 2011 and Aug. 26, 2012. One of the bikes, a Specialized Enduro, retails for $6,000. Another, a Santa Cruz Blur, goes for $3,500.
How do I know this?
No, I didn't rip them off.
Nor do they belong to me.
They were among the stolen bikes listed in a request for "bicycles stolen near Quebec and Terminal" under the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act to the Vancouver Police Department.
Not sure who made the request or who the three other people were wanting information about VPD overtime and sick days, crime stats for 1055 West Georgia and street vending bylaws.
Every once in a while, the VPD will post results of Freedom of Information requests on its website. But the department won't issue a press release or hold a press conference to let journos like me know.
Instead, you have to search the website for the latest updates. Sometimes the info is interesting, other times it's not exactly newsworthy.
I've written about some of the other information posted on the VPD's website in 2011, including cycling collisions and impaired charges.
So far, the info posted in 2012, which has included facts and figures about contracts and conferences, left me yawning.
The latest batch of info dumped on the site is not exactly breaking news but consider my following summary as saving you from searching and clicking.
ù There were 73 street vending bylaw tickets issued over the past three years. The majority were handed out in the 200-block of East Hastings, a notorious strip for new and used goods, including bicycles.
ù Crime stats for a two block radius around 1055 West Georgia, which is the address of the Royal Centre office tower. The majority of incidents were for theft under $5,000 (299 offences), something called "annoying circumstance" (271), theft from auto (163), commercial burglaries (54), fights (44), panhandling (41), robberies (34) and drugs (25). The time period was Oct. 1, 2011 to Oct.1, 2012.
ù VPD overtime. Officers worked $8.5 million worth of overtime in 2009, a total of $7.4 million in 2010 and $9.4 million in 2011. The 2009 and 2010 figures include expenses related to the 2010 Winter Games. Officers recorded 9,183 sick days in 2009, a total of 8,057 in 2010 and 7,592 in 2011.
Check out the VPD's website under Published Freedom of Information requests, if you want to know more about what your local coppers are up to.
Fare evasion
In other crime news_
I'm going to hazard a guess those thieves stealing bicycles are the same dudes not paying to ride SkyTrain.
I spoke to TransLink CEO Ian Jarvis earlier this week about fare evaders.
"We know that we're doing more checks on the system and actually the fare evasion rate is down from a year ago," Jarvis said.
Wonder if that will continue when a 10 per cent fare increase is imposed in January.
Twitter: @Howellings
