University of Toronto Bike Bait program a success

November 20, 2006 - 3:08 pm
By: Anne Winstanley

Toronto - The University of Toronto says their new high-tech strategy to catch bicycle thieves is a success.

Since the pilot Bike Bait Program was introduced September 29, the university says Toronto Police have laid a number of charges, including four arrests in one day.

"The project is ongoing and successful," UTPS corporal Peter Franchi, co-ordinator of the Bike Bait program. "We have seen a dramatic decrease in the number of bike thefts since the program's inception."

Franchi says based on the results so far, the program will continue through 2007.

The Bike Bait program involves placing global positioning system (GPS) beacons on high-end bikes in a number of campus locations. When the bicycle is stolen, the GPS allows police to track the bike and catch the thieves.