Bike Safety Tips

For all you commuters who 'bike-and-ride' with transit, here are some bike safety tips to keep in mind when you lock up your bike at the skytrain station.

1) Don't. Period. The Edmonds skytrain station is NOT a safe place to lock up your bike! You would think otherwise, with all the bus drivers, transit personnel and the (occasional) transit police, but just about every bike that is locked up at the skytrain station is vandalized to some degree. Graffitti on the seat, stolen tires...We are now allowed to take bikes on the first and last carraige of the skytrain, so consider taking your bike with you rather than leaving it behind. Also consider renting a skytrain bike locker to safely store your bike if you choose to leave it behind. Contact Translink for more details.

2) Engrave your bike with your name or ID # on an inconspicuous place, preferably the bottom of the bike. This makes it easier to claim should it be stolen and recovered. By engraving it in a hidden place, thieves have less of a chance of seeing the engraving and thus less of a chance of filing the numbers off. Register your bike with the RCMP or through the National Bike Registry.

3) Lock your bike to a solid object (i.e.- no trees, wooden objects or chain link fences). Street signs and bike racks are ideal. Ensure the bike can't be lifted over the object, like a parking meter. Make sure the area will be well-light at night. Locking it up in the day time allows for plenty of ambient light, but if you return at nightfall, it should also be well illuminated.

4) Use a U-shaped lock and cable. The Kryponite brand is one of the best. The made-in-China copies are the worst, as they are easy to smash apart with a hammer or pry open. Also, Kryptonite and other high end bike locks allow you to register your bike with them. Plus, they offer anti-theft guarantees.

5) Leave as little space as possible within the "U" of the lock to make it harder for thieves to pry it open.

6) Keep the lock off the ground to avoid giving the thief leverage to hammer or smash it.

7) Position the keyhole of the lock so that it faces the ground. This will inhibit the thief's ability to manipulate the lock.

8) Remove the front wheel and lock both the wheel and the frame together with the U-lock if it's a quick-release wheel. Take your bike seat with you if it's easily removable and/or expensive.

9) Consider buying an old, cheap bike for commuting to/from work and/or the store. Save your fancy bike for trail riding or the Whistler bike park ;-)

The Good Samaritan Scam

Brilliant in its execution, this scam highlights once again that not all crime is violent. Keeps your eyes and ears in tune to crime and you won't find yourselves as its next victim. It's human nature to help others, but don't let people help themselves to your valuables. Watch and learn.

Streetcrime: PickPockets Amongst Us

Here's another 2 minute video capturing a sly pickpocketing scam that occurs on the streets. It's not unique to the Edmonds area, but with the influx of tourists in the summer, anyone who takes the skytrain or who simply enjoys a coffee on an outdoor patio may fall prey to this. Watch closely-it's pretty swift and takes less than 30 seconds to pull off.

Skytrain PickPockets

Here's a clever video from pickpockets at work in the London transit system. It gives you a real heads up as to how pickpockets work and hopefully will allow you to keep your senses on guard when you travel by skytrain. Don't say we didn't warn you :-)

Cat Burglars: The Long Stick Trick

Not all home invasions are of the smash-and-grab variety. Many "professional" cat burglars ply their trade to this day-and in our neighbourhood. Here's an amazing 5 minute video that highlights just how easy it is to get robbed 'silently' and how to protect yourself from this type of crime.

Grow Ops

Unfortunately, grow ops are a menace of particular concern to Greater Vancouver, and Burnaby sees its fair share too. The amazing thing is that many people have this misconcenption that grow ops are housed in homes far away from their neighbours, and run by druglords themselves.

On the contrary, grow ops have been found in the most respectable neighbourhoods in the city. Even upscale areas like Westwood Plateau have had grow ops amidst their affluence. And many of the residents living in grow ops are seemingly normal people. Familes with youngsters, married couples, etc. Sometimes these people are innocent victims of the grow op problem, renting a floor in a home that houses a grow op in the basement suite. Other times they receive reduced rent for living in a grow op, whereby they live on one floor and the grow op occurs on another floor. Their role is to simply provide a lived in, family look to the home.

Since we want to keep Edmonds as safe and trouble free as possible, especially as it develops and expands, here is a colourful look at what goes on inside a grow op, and the hazards grow ops pose to our neighbourhood.
http://www.collingwoodcpc.com/growbusters-gallery2004.htm

Hopefully these pictures drive home the importance of keeping ourselves aware of the crime out there so that we can recognize it and report it. Only then will it go away.

Crystal Meth

Recently, a fairly large drug lab was shut down on 7900 block of Nelson Street by the RCMP. It was discovered by city workers who became suspicious when they saw steam coming out of the manholes.

The Collingwood Community Policing Centre in Vancouver has developed a Methamphetamine Lab Awareness Program. The following article comes courtesy of their fine research:

"There is a new drug menace in your community. It is called methamphetamine, and it is an illegal and very addictive drug. It is made in illegal laboratories hurriedly set up in bathrooms, basements, garages, as well as many other places in a home. By mixing common household products sold in stores throughout your city, the bad guys make methamphetamine. Mixed together, household products can become explosive and/or give off toxic fumes that attack mucous membranes, skin, eyes, and the respiratory tract. Innocent people including children have died when methamphetamine labs have blown up in the past. The following is a list of ingredients commonly found in methamphetamines".
Dangerous Chemicals
Lithium
Red Phosphorus
Salt
Methanol
Sulfuric Acid
Ephedrine/Pseudoephedrine
Alcohol
Veterinarian Products

Common Products
Alkaline Batteries
Matches
Rock Salt
Car Fuel System Cleaners
Drain and Grease Cleaners
Sudafed
Paint Thinners
Allergy Products

You Can Make A Difference.

"Drug dealers and methamphetamine manufactures have common habits that are easily observed. Alone, any of these activities or signs may not mean that drug dealing or methamphetamine manufacturing is occurring. However, some or several of them happening together may indicate a problem. The following is a list of common occurrences of tell-tale signs to look for:

Frequent visitors at all times of the day or night.

Frequent, late night activity.

Windows blackened out or curtains always drawn.

Visitors with expensive vehicles.

Unfriendly, appear secretive about their activities.

Watches cars suspiciously when they pass by.

Appears to be paranoid by exhibiting odd behaviour such as an extensive investment in home security.

Strange odours coming from house or garbage.

Garbage has numerous bottles and containers.

Setting out garbage in another neighbours' collection area.

If you find one, don't hesitate to call 911. If you suspect one, but aren't entirely sure, contact (604) 717-2935."

And just to keep you in the loop, here's the link for the Burnaby Now article on the recent drug lab found nearby Edmonds.

http://www.burnabynow.com/issues07/012107/news/012107nn6.html