November 2024
lifestyles55.net
MANITOBA
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204-947-1807 Mediterranean chicken
In Remembrance
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Bike theft: A comprehensive prevention action plan Sel Burrows
W
innipeg is the crime capital of Canada. That’s something we should all be concerned about, whether we live in a safe suburban neighbourhood, or our very high crime inner city communities. Bicycle theft relates to both inner city and suburban communities since many people won’t cycle into downtown or shopping areas out of fear their bike will be stolen. It is the City of Winnipeg’s responsibility to act on crime. Policing and by law enforcement come under Mayor Gillingham. Bicycle theft is frustrating, expensive and easy to get away with. To reduce the rate of bike theft action is required by several different government and civil society entities. When I speak to groups one of my opening phrases is, “Meth and opioid addicts have the best support system available! They have access 24/7 to a dealer that will provide them with their illegal dangerous product. If the customer doesn’t have any money their dealers give them their meth and says, ‘Go and steal two bicycles for me to pay for your hits’.” Bike theft is a lucrative industry for addicts who can either sell the stolen bike to a fence who will sell it or trade the bike for drugs. While it isn’t only addicts stealing bicycles, the sense that bicycle
thieves generally can get away with thefts attracts people looking for an easy theft target. I have reported numerous bike chop-shops and places where bikes are gathered for sale. Police have raided the locations and discovered 30 or more bikes and none that were reported stolen. It is discouraging for police when they know a bike is stolen but they can’t prove it. Once over 50% of bikes are registered, police have a decent chance of making arrests. I have to say that recently a Point Douglas neighbour called me to report three stolen bikes. I sent the photos to a senior police officer and the next morning two police cars arrived at the address, recovered the bikes and made arrest and we assume the
thief was charged. To stop the wholesale theft of bikes we must be able to arrest bike thieves and sellers of stolen bicycles in sufficient numbers so that it is no longer a lucrative criminal act. Because so few bikes are registered, and people don’t remember their serial number, it is often impossible for police to arrest thieves and recover bikes. There is a series of actions that need to happen to convince criminals that bike theft has a high possibility of arrest and a low-income return. 1. The online bicycle registry Garage 529 is an excellent beginning to deal with bike theft. Already over a hundred stou
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Winnipeg Rock 'N Roll history
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Indigenous performers and music putting Manitoba on the map for decades
Gloria Desjarlais.
John Einarson
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e don’t want your kind here.” For many years that was the response from club and pub owners when Indigenous musicians and singers attempted to play non-Indigenous venues. Discrimination and racism were a reality for these performers if they ever ventured beyond the security of the Main Street strip hotels. “I was always drawn back to the Main Street strip because that was where I was appreciated,” states awardwinning blues musician Billy Joe Green. “I knew I was a good a singer but I couldn’t get the bookings, the A rooms, because I was labelled an Aboriginal singer,” recalled St. Laurent, Manitoba-born Métis singer/ songwriter Gloria Desjarlais, who, as a teenager, began performing at the Indian and Métis Friendship Centre talu 10 ‘Indigenous performers'