How many bikes would you estimate were reported stolen in Grand Junction last year? Would you say somewhere around 100? Guess again. Here's why you should always lock your bike.

In 2016, the Grand Junction Police Department received reports of 270 stolen bikes. If you crunch the numbers, the average value of a bike stolen out of GJ comes in around $700. If you think that's a bit pricey, keep in mind we have some genuine bike enthusiasts around the area. Some of those bikes are pretty expensive.

Should you lock up your bike, even if it's just for a short period of time? Yes. It doesn't take long to steal a bike. Should you take extra measures and buy a quality lock? Absolutely. Take my word for it, a cheap chain can be cut in a matter of seconds.

Okay, so how do I know that? As a landlord, or as we are more commonly known, idiots, I occasionally have a bike left behind at my properties. Nine times out of ten, they are chained to the porch railing or a tree. Trust me, a cheap chain can be cut like butter.

What if you're just running into the store for a minute, just long enough to return a movie to the Redbox? How long would you estimate it would take a thief to ride off on your bike? Unless he's Mr. Pokey, the thief can probably steal your bike faster than you can return a movie.

Keep in mind you can register your bike with the Grand Junction Police Department. It's fast, costs a whopping $1, and can be the difference between getting your bike back vs. walking. Have you ever seen one of those police department bike auctions? Those are bikes that have been recovered, but whose proper owners could not be identified.

That's a startling number, 270 bikes in one year, all out of a community no bigger than Grand Junction. Lock that thing up! It's like Chris Brown from Grand Junction's Brown Cycles says, "Lock 'em er yer walk'em."

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