Maddie Jones – Food & Drink Editor
189. That is the number of bikes stolen in Grand Junction, Colo. in 2020.
Lauren Arnold is a Colorado Mesa University student and Grand Junction resident who has gotten her bike stolen not once, but twice. Outside of Arnold’s apartment complex in downtown Grand Junction, is a bike rack that holds up to ten bicycles. Arnold has lived the in the Midtown Apartment complex for over three years.
“It was about 6 months after moving in my bike was stolen, the first time,” Arnold said.
According to The Grand Junction Police Department, there were 189 cases of reported stolen bikes in Grand Junction last year, only 22 bikes have been recovered.
A recent report from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) found that crime rates in Colorado increased in 2020. Statewide there was about a 4% crime increase, and 10.4 % of these crimes were property crimes. Many of these property crimes included: offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. About 43.3% of theft cases in Colorado are larceny offenses. The CBI defined larceny in the report as “the unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession, or constructive possession, of another person.” The majority of these cases are happening at residences or homes.
According to Grand Junction’s Police Record’s Supervisor Theresa Jaramillo, from the year 2019 – 2020, Grand Junction’s Police Department completed 13 arrests for stolen bicycles. On average there were approximately 2 bicycles stolen per week during that same time frame.
So where are the bikes going? Why are people stealing them? There are about seven pawn shops in Grand Junction. Four of these shops are on North Avenue. The others are located closer to the downtown area.
“The bike theft problem has only gotten worse and will continue to get worse,” said Jim, also known as Jimmy. Jim is the owner of A Pawn Shop on Pitkin Ave. located in the downtown area of Grand Junction. Jim has received many bikes over the past year and has noticed that the increase of bikes being pawned, has sky rocketed over the last year.
“The bike problem in Grand Junction is a direct result of the drug problem in Grand Junction,” Lexi Wilson said. Wilson is a Grand Junction local, who was pawning an item to The Pawn Shop in the late afternoon on Monday, March 22.
“Until they treat the drug problem, the bike stealing problem is going to continue,” Wilson said. Wilson proceeded to mention that she knows many people who are in the bike stealing game so they can get money for drugs.
According to the Colorado Crime Statistics, in 2020 alone, Grand Junction saw 335 drug cases involving the individual possessing or concealing drugs. There were 81 cases of an individual using or consuming the paraphilia. These are just the number of cases that have been brought into the light.
For many Grand Junction residents, bicycles are their main source of transportation. Wilson keeps her bicycle safe by keeping her bike inside when possible, and when the bike is outside, placing a U-lock on the back wheel of the bike. Wilson thinks these tactics deter bike theft.
Arnold has also picked up a few methods for keeping her property safe.
“The first time my bike was stolen, I was lucky enough to get it back,” said Arnold. Thanks to Grand Junction Police Department, Arnold was able to get her bike returned. Arnold took precautions that allowed her to get her bike back. She advises that you take photos of your bike, add a unique sticker or marking on it, and locate your serial number and take a photograph of it.
The police found Arnold’s bike in a local pawn shop. Due to Arnold reporting her stolen bike, giving the station her bike’s serial number, and it having a broken pedal, she was able to get her bike returned.
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