Well, actually, I can believe it. I just don’t want to
From: Todd
Subject: Toronto cyclists have something to cheer about.
The city’s favourite bike thief gets busted.
theglobeandmail.com
torontosun.com
citynews.ca
This wasn’t just a bike or two. The Police found what they believe to be 150 stolen bikes in that shop.
There’s a staggering amount on display.
“We’ve got everything from Canadian Tire specials up to the high-end carbon fibre bikes. The carbon fibre bikes are worth up in the area of $7,000,” outlined Insp. Paul Vorvis.
Police returned to the Bicycle Clinic to try and retrieve more bikes, but the ceiling was deemed unsafe. Our CityNews camera found dozens of bikes hanging inside and many more piled up at the back.
The store’s closure was happy news for local residents.
“I think people are actually pretty happy about it.hopefully it’s the start of the cops really rack cracking down on some of the bike theft,” praised Kevin Smith.
Owner Igor Kenk, 49, and alleged accomplice Jean Laveau, 47, are each charged with:
1) Theft,
2) Attempt Theft,
3) Possession of Stolen Property,
4) Possession of Burglar Tools.Officers claim they also found cocaine and marijuana inside the shop at 927 Queen Street West.
Run that around in your mind a few times.
Sean on July 21st, 2008 6:22 pm
Sounds like a pretty sweet business model, until you get caught of course.
David P. on July 21st, 2008 6:47 pm
To most of us, bikes are pretty damn expensive. Maybe we should treat bicycle thieves as we did horse thieves long ago. I dunno about stringin’ ‘em up but locking them down in the public square and taunting them would be a lot of fun.
Guero Canadiense on July 21st, 2008 7:30 pm
Actually, the count earlier today was 1,500.
network.nationalpost.com
big jonny on July 21st, 2008 7:37 pm
Holy crap.
The 150 I mentioned was from the third article linked.
1,500 is off the fucking chart.
From the network.nationalpost.com piece linked in the above comment by Guero Canadiense:
Damn…
David P. on July 21st, 2008 7:43 pm
Jeezus. A friggin chop shop strung out on meth.
Guero Canadiense on July 21st, 2008 8:09 pm
Actually, weed and coke… though just ’cause they didn’t find any meth doesn’t mean it wasn’t there.
Mikey on July 21st, 2008 10:10 pm
That’s the oldest trick in the book– you steal a mess of bikes, and you hide your weed in the seat tubes.
Mikey
bits and baubles - jinkies.org on July 21st, 2008 10:36 pm
[...] Fuck bike theives! [...]
dentext on July 21st, 2008 11:32 pm
I would think the industry and focus required to steal that many bikes would sorta indicate that they probably were not that wasted. I mean, don’t ya wanna say, goddamn, Igor, you must get up early in the morning and turn in a full day before you knock off. I mean, sure you are a thief, but goddamn, a a hard working thief. And they look like mostly low-end street bikes, shit..ya gotta figure shop time on time on top of that.
The Winners of the bright orange jersey,….er..jumpsuit.
And Igor just oughtta have a hump and a limp.
Kid Wonder on July 21st, 2008 11:55 pm
Hang them…with bicycle chains.
bikesgonewild on July 22nd, 2008 1:39 am
…hopefully by the time igor gets outa stir, he’ll have been humped enough, that every step he takes will be w/ a limp…
dd on July 22nd, 2008 8:23 am
Canadian legal system will have those guys on the streets in less than 5. What are the logistics for claiming your bike back. Um yeah I had that Cervelo back there along with that ti mtb.
Bikepunk on July 22nd, 2008 8:58 am
Jesus-effing-key-rist. That is nuts. I mean… 1500… holy crap.
and it’s pronounced ‘EYE-gor.’
Bikepunk on July 22nd, 2008 9:03 am
Also… this proves that sometimes… every so often, the system does work in our favor. Now there are only 42-bajillion more bike thieves to get rid of.
lopo on July 22nd, 2008 9:53 am
There is a special place in hell for people who steal bicycles.
Ralfieboy on July 22nd, 2008 1:43 pm
“There is a special place in hell for people who steal bicycles.”
Ya, it’s called the shop :-)
response on July 23rd, 2008 12:56 am
they used to hang horse theives….
kark on July 23rd, 2008 5:15 am
The cops seized up an (estimated) 1500 bikes. That doesn’t mean all 1500 are/were stolen. My guess is that the 150 listed would be more correct.
I’ve seen the place too. (Used to live not too far from it) and I can barely believe that that fuckwit lowlife Igor even managed to get that many bikes in that tiny little rat hole of a “shop”.
For background, this wasn’t a “real” bike shop. More like the bastard child of a inner city pawn shop and an antique store from the wrong side of the tracks.
But instead of ugly lamps and logo’d mirrors won at carnival dart games it had bike shaped objects instead.
As to the bikes most of them were total junk. Think 30yr old unidentifiable beater, one piece crank with missing bearings on one side of the bb, the other side seized with rust, bent, rusted chrome handlebars, bent forks, missing seat, type bikes.
Tug Boat on July 23rd, 2008 11:14 pm
what part are we spinning in our head again? the fact that bikes were stolen? or Stolen in Toronto?