(June 16, 2017, 1:30 p.m.) -- Third district Long Beach City Councilwoman Suzie Price has responded to an outpouring of complaints on Facebook from her constituents and residents citywide [LBREPORT.com coverage here] over bicycle thefts -- and acknowledged on Facebook that someone stole her bike on 2nd St. in Belmont Shore -- by agendizing an item for the June 20 Council meeting that proposes to have city management "work with the Police Department and the Technology Services Department to report on the feasibility of creating a free voluntary online bicycle registration program for use by residents and Council offices, an app-based registration system, and an education campaign to inform residents of this service."

In this she is joined by Councilmembers Daryl Supernaw, Dee Andrews and Roberto Uranga (agendizing memo text below.)

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[Price joined by Supernaw-Andrews-Uranga agendizing memo text] Since 2011 the City of Long Beach has not operated a bicycle registration program. This program was suspended because the fees generated failed to cover the cost of administering the program, and the difficulty in purchasing licenses in-person caused an undue burden on residents seeking to be compliant, as well as poor public education on the requirement all combined to result in few resident bikes were registered. Instead a voluntary system where residents pay a fee and register their bikes through the privately operated National Bike Registry was recommended.

Although, residents are able to register their bicycles through the National Bike Registry the pressing issues of bike theft necessitates more effort be taken to confront this problem. Currently the Police Department does not have access to the National Bike Registry's database, making it difficult to prove a bike is stolen when it is found if it has not been reported as stolen, and also impossible to return the bike to the owner. The National Bike Registry functions as simply a storage location for residents to keep make, model, photos, and serial number information for their bikes that they would then be able to provide to law enforcement.

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In 2011 the establishment of a free voluntary registration program was among the possible alternatives to the program but cost was cited as why staff recommended moving from mandatory bike registration to using the National Bike Registry rather than developing a voluntary web-based registration program operated by the City. Since that time the City has significantly developed its tech-based abilities making it more likely that a registration program designed to help ensure lost bikes are recovered and returned to their owners would be feasible. Through the use of app based reporting technology such as "Go Long Beach" the City is better able to connect residents with City departments in sharing and tracking information.

Additionally, with a minimal level of on-line education and outreach, providing this service would by easy to get resident bikes registered, and would give the Police Department a much needed tool in confronting bike thefts and related property crime.

Unchecked bike thefts undermine our city's commitment to being "bike friendly" and leave the Police Department with little recourse when they find stolen bikes. However, if the Police Department had access to bike serial numbers, descriptions, photographs and contact information for the owner they would be able to proactively identify bikes as stolen and return them to their owners. With the establishment of a free bike registry program similar to that operated by the City of Seal Beach currently, the residents of Long Beach would be better served and equipped to confront the issue of bike thefts.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no significant financial impact for the preparation of a report. Additional resources may be necessary to develop an app-based feature through "Go Long Beach" or other program for'the implementation of the recommendations in the report.

On May 29, award-winning LB Chef and business owner (Primal Alchemy) Paul Buchanan that brought a tsunami of responses from Long Beach residents when he wrote last night (May 29):

[Mayor] Robert Garcia and [Councilwoman] Suzie Price it's time to do something. Bike stealing in Belmont Shore is out of control. I'm sure you have lots of stuff to deal with but when I am at Roe Restaurant at the Shore and see two guys steal two bikes right in front of the restaurant, I can't believe my eyes. It happened before I realized what happened. This directly affects the security of residents. We are not safe!

Councilwoman Price responded nearly immediately on Facebook, writing:

Paul, thanks for reaching out. My own bike was Stolen on 2nd street. I'm bringing a bike chop shop and bike registration item to council in June. Bike parts are currency for a lot of drug users. I agree we need to be more vigilant. I'll talk to the chief and our commander and see if they can step up patrols on 2nd street. I'll also talk to the city prosecutor about what more we can do to go after this crime more proactively and aggressively. Again, thanks for reaching out. Jack from my office will contact you about our bike theft agenda items. Would love to have your support when the items come up.

Facebook responses from the public followed; some went beyond bicycle thefts and alleged that vagrants, tweakers and drug addicts are resposible for crimes in their neighborhoods. The issue produced a visible rift at the May 23, 2017 Council meeting, between the Mayor/Council and some Long Beach residents (LBREPORT.com coverage here.)

We anonymized salient responses from the public below:

This is a huge problem at CSULB. My son's old beat up bike was stolen in the first few weeks of attending the University and has ended up walking to school for the last three and half years. It is as though the police and city do not care at all.

Please add 5th district too!

That must've been hard to watch....especially when it's occurring in your hometown and a city you're so proud of...

[Comment directed to Councilwoman Gonzalez] Lena Gonzalez [took office mid-July 2014, seeks re-election April 2018] let's not forget about DTLB too. In my 15 years in DTLB I've never seen this "petty" theft so bad. Our "secure" DTLB building has been robbed (of packages & bikes) 2X in the past 60 days. It's to the frequency point where residents ar...See More

Suzie Price please don't forget the bikes stolen from houses and apartments in the Shore and taken to locations behind Chuck's and by the pier to be chopped. It's been happening more and more, just like the packages stolen off residents' porches. I'm happy to support whatever you can do. [Price responds: "Absolutely..."

5th district has a huge problem as well.

I have a few Bicycles missing from my garage. I recovered one last week and the buyers describe this guys Makie and girlfriend Emily with a brown pit bull sold it to him and gave Emily's info as the owner from the receipt he ask for. At one time, I found them sleeping in the garage and called the LBPD but let go since they were only trespassing.

This is happening all over the city, and as much as I hate to say it, it affects my willingness to ride, if i know I'll have to lock my bike someplace where I can't keep my eyes on it (while locked). I'm very happy to hear this is coming before Council in June.

We just had one stolen from our back patio four days ago.

[Chef Buchanan replies] In a city that is so bike friendly, it's sad that we now are fearful of riding because of this rampant theft problem.

We just had one stolen from our back patio 4 days ago.

2 bikes stolen! One of them my moms and I still don't have the heart to tell her. Taken right in front of the Belmont Brewery! Damn Chrystal Meth users!! It's not the homeless.

[Chef Buchanan replies]...My business Primal Alchemy has been there at the Belmont Pier for almost 7 years now and the bike theft there has been escalating out of control the past 2 years.

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[Further reply] We live across the street from the bluff. We watch on a daily basis -- and I mean all day, every day, as they dismantle, rebuild, sand off and resell the bikes right there under teh tre to the fence that used to be the motel. We've called, reported, videoed, begged, pleased for LBPD to at least come by and take a look. Maybe to start a bike ring task force. Must be too busy. There's also the occasional woman and dog beating that takes place out of the tents they've set up and live in. When my phone was stolen straight out of my hand while sitting on the patio of Social list (after losting all my bikes to theft among other things, including my prized possession, my ORBEA road bike) I kind of have lost all hope and have begun to imagine moving to a loess crime affected and more law protected city, which I find really sad because i love our town...I'd really like to take action and take our town back...

[Further reply] THIS i hear this weekly from friends and neighbors in DTLB. It's soon to hit the Tipping Point. If it is not address from a City/policing standpoint, the voting public WILL address it.

[Further reply] We had our bikes stolen from our garage! They had to jump over a 6 foot fence...really expensive mountian bikes! Very frustration.

Wow, was it stolen with a double bolted U-Lock? As I'm aware, that's the best possible protection against thieves. IDK how bike registration really helps - that's been attempted and failed before, but would love to see more info in a city study :)

We've had four bikes stolen out of our secured garage in the Ebell Lofts in Alamitos Beach in the last four years, along with at least a dozen of our neighbors' bikes. All U-locked to bike racks on the wall. Car windows bashed in right in the garage...

There are bikes for 'sale' on the corner of Third Street and Temple virtually every week. Certain that they are all stolen bikes. I mean who can sell a bike every week? Where are all the bikes coming from?

This is citywide. Mine was locked and on my porch and it was stolen while I was home one night -- that was probably seven years ago. I don't know anyone in town without a bike theft story at this point.

My bike was stolen from outside Rock bottom, so basically the busiest intersectionin town. At least a dozen people must have witnessed it between the bus stop and the traffic and nobody stopped them or called the police. When I reported it stolen they asked if I wanted to file a report?! Of course I do!!

We had our tandem stolen from our house, it had a broken wheel, not rollable, chain dangle and all..I've been here longer and lost plenty over the decades, we are in bad times indeed.