This week, the VPD in partnership with the Vancouver Police Foundation, Project 529 and the City of Vancouver, launched a new digital Bike Theft Prevention and Registration Program called the Garage 529. In the first three days of the program, over 1000 bikes were registered.
The Garage 529 App is available on both iOS and Android platforms. It takes less than 5 minutes to register and the app will capture everything needed for the police and the community to help find a stolen bike. A temper-resistant 529 Shield also serves as a visual tool to deter bike thieves.
During the testing phase of the project, a MEC employee who registered her bike with Garage 529, fell victim to bike theft. With the help of the app and the community, the VPD was able to recover her bike within 36 hours.
With seed funding from the Vancouver Police Foundation, the VPD’s goal is to register 10,000 bikes in the first three years of the program, at no cost to bike owners. This will be the first step towards having every bicycle in Canada and the US traceable in one single database. Vancouver is the first municipality in North America to adopt the program.
Learn more about the program and where you can pick up your 529 Shield at the VPD website.
The Vancouver Police Foundation supports programs and initiatives that fall under one of four pillars: Youth Programs, Mental Health & Addictions, Community Outreach & Engagement, and Technology & Special Equipment. You can help build a safer Vancouver by donating to the Vancouver Police Foundation.
