Six years ago, the Toronto Bicyling Committee proposed a program that would see all LBS's and other retailers that resell used bicycles be required to register all bicycles consigned to their stores and entered into a database where they would be cross-referenced with local police. The idea was that it would be mroe difficult for thieves to sell their stolen property to second-hand stores as it would be discovered they had, in fact, stolen the bikes. It would also encourage victims to report thefts. There were 7,000 reported thefts in Toronto last year and police estimate twice that number went unreported---10% of all bike thefts in Canada. Astounding figures, but Toronto has been the bike-theft capital of North America for more than thirty years, so it comes as no surprise. Pawn-shops like Cash Converters oppose the idea saying it would be unworkable and too costly. They are still fighting it in court. Six years later. Even if the courts rule in favour of the committee, the system is still two years away from realization anyway. Eventually, the system would go nation-wide, they hope, so that thieves would have few, if any, places to sell their ill-begotten wares, but that might take three additional years or more.

So, what do you think? Good idea? Waste of time?

I know, thieves sell and will sell privately. I've been approached countless times and asked if I wanted to buy a bike 'cheap.' I know it's been stolen. Can I prove it? Not likely. Can I do anything to stop the guy or anything? No. Not without incident, I imagine.

So, will a registry have any effect?

Apparently, Saskatchewan has one that they say has proven successful.