More than 2,500 bicycles are reported missing each year in Montreal, according to Vélo Québec, prompting the organization to demand that police treat the thefts as serious crimes. The figure, released as part of the group’s ongoing campaign, underscores a growing concern among cyclists who see their property disappearing at an alarming rate.
Vélo Québec, the province‑wide advocacy group for cyclists, has urged municipal and provincial police forces to prioritize bicycle theft investigations. The organization argues that the current response does not match the scale of the problem, which has become a pervasive issue across the city. By highlighting the annual tally of stolen bikes, Vélo Québec hopes to push for dedicated resources, better tracking of stolen property, and increased awareness among law‑enforcement officers.
Montreal’s bicycle community has long reported a rise in theft, but the latest data confirms the problem’s breadth. While the exact locations of the incidents vary, the overall number of cases points to a systemic challenge rather than isolated events. Police officials have not provided detailed statistics beyond the figure supplied by Vélo Québec, but the organization’s call for action suggests a perceived gap in current policing strategies.
The timing of the appeal coincides with a broader discussion about urban mobility and the safety of cyclists in Quebec’s largest city. As more residents adopt bicycles for commuting and recreation, the demand for secure parking and effective deterrence grows. Vélo Québec’s statement stresses that treating bicycle theft with the same seriousness as other property crimes could reduce the annual loss of over two thousand five hundred bikes.
Authorities have yet to respond publicly to the request for heightened enforcement. In the meantime, Vélo Québec encourages cyclists to take preventive measures, such as using high‑quality locks and registering their bikes with local databases, while continuing to press for a more robust police response to the ongoing theft epidemic.