SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - City officials say they are seeing positive results three months after a program to catch bicycle thieves in Ocean Beach took effect.
Bike thefts have been a major issue for residents in Ocean Beach, and there is an estimated 3,000 bikes stolen across San Diego every year.
After a community outcry, San Diego police launched a “bait bike” initiative in Ocean Beach and Point Loma in April. The same program was already underway in Pacific Beach and deemed a success there.
The bait bikes have a special sticker and GPS device that notifies police when one is stolen.
District 2 Councilwoman Lorie Zapf told 10News, “The bait bike program is one of the most successful programs we have for catching thieves.”
Zapf said there have been 17 felony arrests made in the first two months of the program.
“We've found through this bait bike program we're solving a lot of other crimes as well,” she added.
San Diego police first started the bait bike program in 2014.
Experts say U-shaped locks are most effective when it comes to deterring potential bike thieves.
