Eugene is a bike friendly city and thieves know it. To keep bicycle thieves at bay, law enforcement relies on bike owners to practice theft prevention tactics.
Jeff Blonde manages the Bicycle Safety and Theft Prevention program with the Eugene Police Department.
“Sadly, it only takes a second for a bike to be stolen,” Blonde said.
Bike theft is a crime of opportunity so Blonde encourages becoming a “hard target.” Good locking practices are key. It’s advised to double up with a hardened steel U-lock as well as a cable lock. Don’t leave a bike out in plain view. Write down the serial number engraved on the frame and keep it.
Fewer than 15% of stolen bikes are recovered and that’s on the high end. Still, Blonde said it’s critical to report a theft so police can be on the lookout. And to the bicycle thieves? Beware the “Bike Bait” stings.
“We deploy a bike, we park it and we wait and then a bike thief will take that bike,” Blonde said. “We’re monitoring—we’re tracking that and then we make an arrest.”
Blonde said the stings are effective deterrents, but they can only bust one thief at a time.
Credit Eugene Police Department
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Jeff Blonde is with the Eugene Police Deparment's Community Engagement Team managing the Bicycle Safety and Theft Prevention program.
Bait Bike Operation Yields Three Arrests In North Eugene
A bike is often someone’s main mode of transportation and not easily replaced. As a way to deter bike theft in Eugene, EPD Property Crimes Unit detectives have placed a changing supply of bait bikes at various locations to combat the problem and arrest those who are responsible.
On January 9, Property Crimes Unit ran a bait bike operation at retail and department stores in North Eugene and made the following arrests:
Chet Allen McLeod, age 48, of Eugene, arrested for Theft in the First Degree.
Sydnee Olivia Rose, age 24, of Eugene, arrested for Theft in the First Degree.
Ryan Daniel Doyle, age 33, of Eugene, arrested for Theft in the First Degree and two warrants.
Could This Be A Bait Bike?
During the operation, detectives found a note on one of the bikes that read, “Bait Bike.” This is not the first time detectives have found this type of note, warning others not to take the bike. Needless to say, the bike was not stolen, however, the deterrent is a strong indication of the program’s success.
Tiffany joined the KLCC News team in 2007. She studied journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia and has worked in a variety of media including television and daily print news. For KLCC, Tiffany reports on health care, social justice and local/regional news. She has won awards from Oregon Associated Press, PRNDI, and Education Writers Association.
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