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Tofino local searching for stolen bike

Tofino’s summer has been tainted by a troubling trend of thefts.
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Warren Rudd sent the Westerly this photo of a bicycle that's similar to the one that was recently stolen from him. Unlike this bicycle

 

Tofino’s summer has been tainted by a troubling trend of thefts.

Unlocked bicycles have become a target for thieves and long-time local Warren Rudd recently became a victim of the growing concern.

Rudd parked his black and gold Norco Bushpilot in the bike rack behind his apartment building on Arnett Street late at night on July 27 and arrived the next morning to discover it had vanished.

He immediately reported the theft to the RCMP.

Though he usually locks his bike up, he had neglected to do so that night and thought little of it.

“It’s not normally a risky area to leave one’s bike,” he said. “Theft hasn’t been a problem from there.”

Rudd has lived in Tofino for the past 23 years and has never had a bicycle stolen before.

The Norco Bushpilot has been his primary mode of transportation for the past six years and losing it meant a lot of walking.

“It was a real drag. I had to walk around and it took a lot longer to get stuff done,” he said.

A friend has since lent Rudd a loaner bicycle.

Rudd has searched all around town for the Norco but his efforts have so far come up snake eyes.

“If someone ‘borrowed’ it to get home, there’s a good chance that it’s either still at their place or they’ve tossed it in the bushes, or anywhere, and it’s not visible,” he said.

“A lot of people have said they will keep an eye out for it...I’ve received lots of sympathy and support but have had no luck yet.”

He hopes whoever snatched it will return it.

“Please bring it back because it’s how I get around,” he said. “Or let someone know where it is.”

He acknowledged his is one of several bikes that have been stolen this summer.

“It’s a shame that it’s gotten to the point where we have to lock our doors and our bikes all the time now,” he said.

“It makes you feel less comfortable in your own community.”

 

Andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca



Andrew Bailey

About the Author: Andrew Bailey

I arrived at the Westerly News as a reporter and photographer in January 2012.
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