Activists want bikes distributed, but thousands remain court property
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 5, 2008 | 9:27 AM ET
CBC News
Bikes recovered in police raids sit in a Toronto warehouse. (Dwight Friesen/CBC)Community groups in Toronto are eagerly anticipating getting their hands on 2,700 seized bicycles, but they may have a long wait.
The bikes were taken by police when they arrested Igor Kenk in July.
Kenk was charged with bike theft, possession of stolen property and drug charges following a series of raids on properties he controlled in Toronto.
Brandon Zagorski was invited to a recent meeting by the city to talk about the bicycles. Zagorski's group, Bike Pirates, repairs bikes for charity.
"I was invited by the city to offer a suggestion on what to do if the bicycles were made available to the community," he said.
According to Const. Stephen Burns of Toronto police a lot of groups want to get their hands on the bikes. He keeps getting calls from cycling groups attracted by the gold mine of seized two-wheelers.
"They feel like the bikes could be put to good use today, right now," he said.
But Herb van den Dool of Community Bike Network wants to talk about what to do with the bikes now.
"Better now than later when they are distracted by the end of the trial. I don't see why we should wait until then," he said.
The fear is the trial could take years and Kenk's appeals could take years more.
Until then, the bikes remain the property of the court and if Kenk is eventually acquitted he can apply to have the seized bikes returned.
