Bike Theft in Toronto

To call what Igor has a shop is disgusting.

From my experience there is no shop just a hole in the wall and backyard with mounds of bikes.

You have to call him to see if he has a bike for you, there is no shopping, no looking at bikes, and the phonecalls are hostile since he's a cunt.

What we have here is a serious structural problem in the law. I wonder if Mr. Mucha has ever been to Igor's shop and I wonder if the police have ever witnessed Igor following due process when buying a bike.

This story is drivol, the fact of the matter is that the police don't care. If you call 52 division and ask to speak with someone in bike theft you are quickly shut down by the desk Sgt. or constable saying that "if they find anything they will contact you" this means either a) that there are so many thefts that they cannot keep up with them. b) that there is no one working on bicycle theft or c) to not waste their time.

Bicycle theft is not treated with the adequate seriousness that it should be and it is unfortunate that as victims of bicycle theft our own police service prefer to protect the rights of known criminals.

Another example, my bicycle was stolen out from under CCTV cameras yet I was not allowed to see the video that was captured or even still images. My tax dollars have paid for those cameras and the polices' salaries, my hours at work paid for my bike, and now as a victim I am left high and dry. Why are the victim's rights secondary to those of the theif? Privacy act, give me a break thats because like in so many kitsch Charles Bronson movies the police dread having the public expose their ineptitude by bringing about their own justice and vigilanteism.

I'm not saying the police are on the whole useless but when they are understaffed, and the problem exists at a much larger policy and structural level in the city they are rendered useless. Give the police more power, ban the sale of bicycles without original receipts, or close down stolen bike shops like Igors.

These measures are draconian but at least I and the 12,000 others who have their bikes stolen each year would more than likely still have their bikes.

I locked my bike up outside on King at Spadina in front of the mini dealership. I usually bring it in but that I intended to run some errands at lunch.
Anyway, the day got away from me and I didn’t get out of the office until 5pm, and to my disappointment my bike was stolen! After a brief breakdown in front of a coworker and
phone call to my parents to cry to them I decided what’s the point of being upset…..So I decided to walk down Queen Street W to get home. I figured I should at least
walk by Igor’s (across from Trinity Bellwood’s Park) I know most people know of the place because he’s always blocking the sidewalk fixing bikes.

From about a block away I saw my bike, I knew it was mine even from a block away! As I marched up I claimed it was mine and said I could prove it.
He challenged me. So I said, “see that combination lock under the seat that keeps my seat from being stolen for the 3rd time?” guy says “yes” I said
“I know the combo”. I proceeded to unlock it and heard a gasp from the crowd of customers. I then said “now I am taking my bike and want a new lock for the one
that was busted to get it here”. Igor didn’t argue and gave me a new lock. I told him he was lucky I didn’t call the cops. And I didn't call the cops because there was no way to prove that Igor knew he was buying a stolen bike......nothing would have happened.

My story had a happy ending, I was lucky. Apparently the bike had been dropped off only 15 minutes before I got there.

I have my name, phone number and email on a laminated card deep in the seat tube of all my bikes, and my wife's. Do have to get around to doing that bike registry thing.
http://www.bikeregistrycanada.com/registerbike.html

Remember to use two locks of two types, both locked to something too hard to move, and keep the bike in a public area. I put a U through the frame and front tire, and a locking constricting cable through the seat, frame and back tire. That's for my fixed city bike (a $1200 quality build, but it's all black, so looks a lot less - also key). At night, work and home, I bring it inside: full stop. My $1700 road bike is never locked anywhere outside.

Hello all,

Well yesterday I had my bike stolen for the second time. The first time I had it locked with a decent U lock at U of T library that was about 3 years ago. I just got the bike I had stolen, it might be 4 5 months old. I can't believe the gall these theives or dare I say - crackheads - have. I lock my bike up everywhere. But when I went to my friends house to drop something off I just set my bike on his porch halfway in the door with the doors wide open. With my helmet still on I walked inside to say hi and checked back about 10 seconds to make sure it was there, I looked back again about 15 seconds later and it was GONE! That's right some crackhead snuck on the porch with me 5 feet away, doors open, and left his crappy bike and stole my OK mountain bike. This is gretty just out of control. How is anyone to feel safe about anything if crime is that pervasive everywhere. How could anyone feel safe with their children. You can't even leave them unattended on your porch for 10 seconds. They could take your kid and leave you their crappy bike.

Anyway, I went to Igor's by trinity to see if my bike was in there and I can tell you that is THE MOST BS BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT I have ever seen. I'm simply amazed that someone like that can even own a business. I tried to get to see some bikes as if interested in purchasing, and Igor was the biggest prick I've seen he wouldnt show me anything unless I showed him cash. Just so you know he keeps all the recently stolen goods in his junkyard of a store. So you need to walk over his crap through some junk, and then hidden behind he has all the bikes you can imagine that he most likely pays for with crack rocks? Don't believe me? Go over there and try to have a normal conversation with Igor....in fact just ask him what his business is and if he sells bikes, ask him if he can show you some and that you're interested, careful you'll never get those 20minutes of utter confusing bs back again. Also take note of his pals that sit outside with him - also pretty sure these guys are the thieves. IGOR is a total criminal and the Toronto Police are lazy for not going in there are recovinging the 80% of stolen stock he carries.

Police don't do jack about bike theft, in spite that it's a HUGE problem, and when they aren't chasing crackheads on their own bikes, their busy trying to look busy. I think the only way this bike thing will get better is if people start petitioning and rallying - demanding harsher laws for bike theft, teams finding these theives, busting up chop shops, and whatever else it takes to make our STUPID EXPENSIVE city safer.

On a final note, there is so much talk about green energy and curbing our dependence on oil and gas. How the are people going to want to even attempt to get rid of their vehicles or at least try using them less, and using a bike instead when the theft is so utterly OUT OF CONTROL.

A disgruntled Toronto resident,

Not sure if the above comment is in regards to my story posted July 14th.
If it is, it's not bs. I was lucky, extremely lucky.
I know I had horseshoes up my ass that day.
The lock he gave me was new, he took it out of the wrapper in front of me and gave me both keys.
I too was surprised he had something new there. Regardless, I don't use the shitty no name u-lock, I bring my bike inside my office everyday and will not lock my bike up outside unless I get a better heavier duty lock. I just wanted to make sure Igor was out more than the 40 bucks he paid for my bike, that's why I insisted on a lock.

I know my story doesn't sound true, but it is.

Man, Igor is a jerk!

It's true he is a jerk. It takes about 5 seconds to detect that that business is a total sham. I'm still surprised he sells locks - seems contradictory to his business venture. lol. They probably fell off the back of a truck as well. The main problem with bike theft is guys like these. Why? If there is no where to get rid of stolen bikes (especially quickly and locally - cause they are usually stolen for drugs) then there isn't much point stealing them. As long as chop shops like these exist, Toronto isn't even remotely serious about helping bikers out. Just look at Toronto's infrastructure, does it at all surprise you that a problem as to become a complete catastrophe before it is finally addressed, most often too late.

He uses new locks to lock up extra bikes around the city when he can't fit them all into his "store". I actually tracked down almost a dozen bikes around town that had NOT been stolen, after sitting for months on end, all locked up with the same short-shank U-lock (the one with the yellow locking bar). They turned out to be Igor's. I encountered him on the street and he admitted it.

http://www.torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/07/17/6181516-sun.html

A well-known Queen St. W. bike dealer is facing charges after he was arrested at his store last night by plainclothes cops who alleged they watched him direct a man with bolt-cutters to cut the locks off two nearby bikes and steal them.

Igor Kenk, 49, owner of the Bicycle Clinic at Queen St. W. and Strachan Ave., was put in handcuffs just after 7 p.m. by Consts. James Rowe and Craig Meredith, who were watching the corner as part of a "bait-bike" sting.

More at: http://www.torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/07/17/6181516-sun.html

Bikers rejoice!

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2008/07/17/6182146-sun.html

Today is a good day!

What's the best way to get the police to act on this and raid his store? Who are the police accountable to? Is it worth contacting a local councillor?

We had a bike stolen recently and the police, whilst sympathetic, showed no particular interest in arranging to go down to Igor's and have a look around inside.

"What's the best way to get the police to act on this and raid his store?"

I think we now know - get a journalist involved. The Sun publishes that article and a couple of days later reports the bust.

"Sean Wheldrake of the City's Bicycle Promotions office counters this perception of an epidemic with the fact that though bike theft may be in the range of 12,000 per year, it is still far less than the million cyclists that live in Toronto. Toronto's not even in the top 10 of North American cities in terms of bike theft."

10, 000 RECORDED thefts, and it would only be bad if it was in the top 10? How about top 100? How about dead last? How about some ambition?

How about the bike promotion office find a way to get TTC to allow bike racks - not lockers, just simple racks - inside those stations where there is ample empty space, like Coxwell? (Although that would imply the collector would do something about it if he saw a theft on the premises, considering a supervisor couldn't be bothered dealing with a complaint of a person urinating in the bus bay 20 feet away.)

How about the bike promotion office ask the citizens of Toronto to not stand idly by while people take 2x4s to bike locks?

Just spoke to Cst. Rowe at 14 Division. He says if you think your stuff is in Igor's, now that he had been arrested, call the Major Crimes Unit at 808.1400 on Monday and tell them that there is a good chance your stuff is there. You must be able to make a positive ID on it though.

While Igor seems like an Eastern European Barbarian descending on the good ship Toronto, it is existing law that spurned the enterprise that now exists on Queen West.

Before his string of shops existed, Igor lost a bike to theft in Toronto when he newly arrived to Canada. The bike was later discovered at a Queen West bike shop. When Police were contacted, the response was that unless he could prove the bike was his, tough luck...
What's this??? Certainly not Eastern European style, where you'd just smash the thief.
Combine one motivated entrepreneur pissed with the Law, and exploiting the lameness of the existing Pawn Laws in Toronto, you get the perfect storm.

Igor's old shop at 986 Queen West was raided over 10 years ago. The Police took everything. Igor was super pissed, yet remained open for business.
The police, holding out a branch of hope for the bicycle community, offered the public a chance to come to their storage warehouse on Strachan Ave. to try to recover their 'stolen' bike.
Folks ended up going in, having a look around and securing a general description of a particular bike. They would then go outside, relay the info to a friend. The friend would then go inside to 'describe' their lost bike to the Police, who would then find it in the pile and hand it over. Premeditated theft in the first degree.

If you are one of the 12,000 cyclists who have lost a bike in the last year, organize and protest. 12,000 bodies makes one hell of a parade.
If your bike IS stolen, even if you think that there is no chance of recovering it, REPORT IT TO POLICE. Perhaps 40, 000 bikes are being stolen every year, if a huge surge like that happened, I bet the Police would find the budget to hit back.

p.s. Locking tips:
1. At Minimum, get a KRYPTONITE NewYork u-lock if you are locking up your bike anywhere in Toronto
2. Use the lock always
3. when available, lock your bike to a solid fixed object.
4. you might loose a seat, light or wheel but these are less costly to replace than a complete bike.

maybe the CRA could check his tax returns....probably on the dole, and dealing in "cash" only.....hmmmmm.....

My bike was stolen out my backyard last night. I went online and did some research about this Igor asshole last night. I called the cops and asked why they didn't do something about him. And now he's arrested. SWEET REDEMPTION! I'm going to see if my bike is there.

My bike was stolen out my backyard last night. I went online and did some research about this Igor asshole last night. I called the cops and asked why they didn't do something about him. And now he's arrested. SWEET REDEMPTION! I'm going to see if my bike is there.

Right now.

Apparently there are onlooking cyclists cheering. Go Toronto's police!

Hey "Kathie!", he was caught by cops in the act, after years of rumours. Give us all a break (Igor?).

You know what, I only ride my bike for two things: long rides without taking a lock, since I’m not going to stop; and shorter rides somewhere I can bring a bike inside, like to a friend’s. The reason I have never lost a bike is I hardly ever use one for errands. What horse*&#$! For errands I’ll walk 3km, use Autoshare or the TTC. I have just realized I have modified my cycling behaviour to the fact that there are few effective deterrents to bike theft in Toronto. How nice for me.

No wonder there were cyclist cheering on the cops doing something about his store. Had I known, I'd have been there with a few dozen donuts for the boys (and girls).

This is easy. There were several people out on the street watching the police remove many bikes and parts from Igor's. The police could plant a couple of stolen bikes, but one presumes that the police don't have a large stock of stolen bikes to be used as fake evidence when framing people who have untidy shops.

So. I propose the following. If none, or only a small percentage of the intact bikes from Igor's shop turn out to be stolen (lets say 5% or less), I (and I invite anyone else who currently thinks that he's a low-life thieving scumbag to join me) will spend an hour handing out leaflets to people in Queen West explaining how Igor has been a victim of scurrilous rumours and police harassment.

However, if a significant number of the bikes turn out to be stolen (lets say 20% or more), or, if he is successfully prosecuted for knowingly receiving stolen goods (he's not a poor or stupid man so I think that we can trust his lawyers to expose any planting of evidence), you will go down to your nearest police station with a large bunch of flowers, some cookies and a cake to thank them for doing a good job and removing one of the sources of demand for stolen bikes in Toronto.

Deal?

Brett...thank you for taking time to write about this guy, and the problem with bike thefts in our city. I had my bike stolen from my condo last week. I only owned the thing for 3 weeks! The police definetly needed a little motivation!

'The truth is -- and Kenk acknowledges this -- some of the bikes piled up in his backyard and in his store are most likely stolen...'

Most likely?! Fuck me. I live on Gore Vale Ave on Trinity Bellwoods Park just north of Igor's cache of stolen bikes. I have witnessed Igor riding 'his' bike down my street at 5 am while shuttling another bike that was still locked to an uprooted city bicycle post, no-doubtedly on it's way to his shop to be liberated. I've also witnessed his army of addicts snap kryptonites and nervously hand over high-end bikes to Igor for some hand-shake cash.

I've personally had a dozen bikes stolen from Queen W over the last 15 years and I ALWAYS check Igor's place first. Good riddance and may he ride into eternity without a bike-seat.

Some of the posters on this forum are insane, and unwilling to help themselves.
Waaah! Police, help me, I can't / won't do anything to help! Shut up.

My bike was stolen from outside the eaton centre in broad daylight on a sunday morning.
Months later, my seat and seatpost off my new, locked bike were stolen at Queen & Yonge, as the sidewalk was teeming with pedestrians doing their christmas shopping. No one saw or said anything. No one cared.

I went to remove a seat and seatpost from one of the derelict bikes locked to a post and ring just a few feet away. I made a real commotion attempting to wrench the seat out of a derelict bike that was clearly not mine. I even said "I'm trying to steal this seat!! Arrgh!" My co-workers laughed at me. No one stopped to ask what I was doing. No one offered to help. No one even batted an eye. Ppl don't care about bike theft.

Bike theft won't stop until ppl take action into their own hands. Bike theft is acceptable to Toronto because we allow it, we permit it by ignoring the activity, and not bothering to do anything about it ourselves. Whining to the police does nothing.

wake up and take responsibility, Toronto.

Whatever, Anonymous,

coward. pussy. You're one of those typical Torontonians who would avoid getting involved in any problem. Don't help, you might get hurt yourself. Selfish. Dishonourable. At least I'd try to help. But not you. That's what your tax dollars pay police to do. Not your problem. But it is. Hypocrite.

I'm not talking about citizens arrests, drug users, or busting premises. Your excuses are pathetically typical. And have nothing to do with citizens taking responsibility for dealing with a problem.

Ppl need to take responsibility for themselves, and call attention, discourage actions that negatively affect others and their property. Bike thieves keep working because we allow them to. Because no one will stop to stop them. because people like you propogate the myth that we are powerless, unable, and at risk.

Please. I'm not the hero you're looking for. He dosn't exist. You are the answer, we all are. Wake up. Do something.

give it a couple of days and Igor will be out again working from his shop.
If the police take all the current inventory it will be soon replaced.
Remember, innocent until proven guilty, and the charge is of an alleged theft.
What really transpired is to be determined in court, the press Igor received only adds to his infamy.
Judging by the posts above, he is a pretty famous guy, (infamous?) 8)

Most questions about Toronto bike theft can be answered here. Featuring Igor.

http://playlistor.com/play.php?pl=Dx3hp9H7wzut9i9