Toronto Senior Citizen Speaks on Bicycle Theft
Malcolm McLean had his fold up bicycle with grocery carrying baskets stolen from the grocery store near Yonge St/Eglinton Ave in August 2006.
He reported the bicycle stolen to the Toronto Police Service. He did not have his serial number, as the bike was old, and he never thought to record it.
Malcolm depends on his bicycle for transportation. The theft of his bicycle was a major blow to his daily lifestyle.
In the summer of 2007 the Youth in Policing program hired 100 youth to work for the Toronto Police Service. Four of those youth were assigned to the Toronto Crime Stoppers office.
As part of the summer work, the youth organized a ‘Crime Stoppers BMX Showcase’ day at the Wallace Emerson Community Centre, 1260 Dufferin St, Toronto. The youth worked with Constable Scott Mills, the Toronto Crime Stoppers School Officer on this project, which included a plea to the public to register their bicycles, and a plea to the public to report stolen bicycles, persons suspected of stealing bicycles, and shady pawn shops who fence stolen bicycles.
As a result of this effort, Toronto Star reporter Betsy Powell (she herself had been victim of bicycle theft in Toronto.. right in front of police headquarters!) wrote an article encouraging bicycle registration.
Malcolm saw the article in the Toronto Star, and wrote a letter to Constable Mills stating that the renewed interest in bicycle theft by the police and Crime Stoppers had led him to have some hope that his bicycle would be recovered.
On September 26, 2007 Toronto Police Chief William Blair held a press conference at Bloordale Middle School in Toronto to formally announce to the public that they can register their bicycles online at www.torontopolice.on.ca .
Malcolm attended the press conference and participated in a demonstration by a grade 8 youth at the school on how to register your bicycle online. The grade 8 students had been the victim of having his bicycle stolen as well !
In this video Malcolm talks about his biccyle being stolen, and his participation in the press conference… Malcolm also talks about his accomplishments in his life.. playing on the national soccer teams for three countries - his native Trinidad, Jamaica, and Canada.
Malcolm is sporting a rare, old style, ‘Metropolitan Toronto Police’ cap that was given to him by Deputy Chief Jane Dick at the press conference.
Malcolm says his will have his new bicycle registered for sure.. He is not that good with computers, and would like the public to know that you can register your bicycle the ‘old fashioned’ way by attending a Toronto Police Service station and completing the bicycle registration form in the lobby, and submitting it to the Records Dept of Toronto Police at 40 College St, Toronto. Mark your registrations to the attention of the records input supervisor Dianne Bray.
Duration : 0:5:16
A Vietnamese transports hundreds of baskets on his bicycle
米（まい）と申します。
Here’s a quick video I put together showing how easy it is to put together your own buckets for hauling stuff on your bike.
More baskets: http://hembrow.eu