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After our story on Tuesday about the rampant increase in bike thefts in Kelowna, our attention was drawn to a new Youtube video showing what looks like a crude bicycle chop-shop. It turns out that video was taken outside the recently opened Heath House Supportive Housing residence on Hwy 97 near Leathead.
KelownaNow went to have a look on Wednesday and watched as a bike part was getting a fresh coat of spray paint in the parking lot.
Heath House is operated by the Canadian Mental Health Association. Spokesperson Mike Gawliuk told KelownaNow that staff contacted the RCMP over what was happening around the time the Youtube video was recorded.
"I appreciate that that's the way it looks," said Gawliuk, but he insists that his people aren't turning a blind eye to anything. "We're working very closely with the local authorities. We had two RCMP members on site just earlier this week, walking through, taking a look at everything that was here and giving their response," said Gawliuk. He went on to say the facility has a protocol with the RCMP. "If there are any bikes on site," he insists, "the V.I.N. number is put forward, it's sent to the RCMP and they can respond."
Bike thefts are up more than 60% over the last year.
In his recent presentation to Council on Monday, Kelowna RCMP Superintendent Brent Mundle, said the dramatic increase in bike thefts is directly related to addiction problems. And we heard the same from RCMP Sgt. Greg Woodcox, who deals with these problems every day in downtown Kelowna and elsewhere. "They use that bike as currency to get drugs," said Woodcox. "You get a point of heroin, you're good for a few hours, a couple of hours later, you steal another bike."
The police believe the only way to solve the bike theft problem is to solve the underlying addiction problems that motivate it.
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