The Igor Kenk / Bicycle Clinic Saga

[joe]

This really needs a thread of it's own.

BikingToronto Posts:

Toronto Police Bust a Bike Thief and Notorious BikeShop Owner
Good news from the streets this morning. Toronto Police set up a "bait bike" operation and two undercover officers watched Igor Kenk, the owner of the The Bicycle Clinic (notorious for selling stolen bikes) as he directed a thief with boltcutters to steal two bikes and then paid him.

Toronto Police may have your Stolen Bike!
Anyone with knowledge of more storage units of stolen bicycles associated to 'The Bicycle Clinic' operated by Igor Kenk... notify 14 division 416-808-1400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) , http://222tips.com or Text TIP312 and your message to CRIMES...



News Stories (there is a ton, with probably more to come...)

Spacing Wire: The Igor effect

Then came the really dramatic turn of events — police discovered he had several warehouses full of bikes around the city. Which means it wasn’t simply a case of go to Igor’s and find your bike if he had it — he had caches where he could hide bikes

EYE Weekly: To catch a thief

Cyclists develop relationships with their bikes, tune them up and learn their quirks and — as we were reminded at the Toronto Cyclists Union’s recent screening of the epic film Pee-wee’s Big Adventure — become quite attached to them.

NOW Magazine: Wheels of change

Does big seizure mean that cops now take cyclists more seriously?

Globe: Bike-theft saga takes a turn toward the strange

Toronto's stolen-bicycle saga led police into three more secluded garages crammed with bikes yesterday, and took a turn for the bizarre as an accomplished concert pianist became the third person charged in the case.

Star: 1,000 more bikes seized

Another thousand bicycles – ranging from $3,000 LeMond racing bikes to kids' tricycles and a scooter for a disabled rider – were recovered from rented garages yesterday after police executed three more raids across the west downtown.

CTV: Bike theft suspect a 'sweet' and talented pianist

Jeanie Chung works at The Glenn Gould School where she is an accomplished pianist. The woman is romantically involved with Igor Kenk, who is accused of masterminding the largest bike theft operation in Toronto history.

BlogTO: More Stolen Bikes Uncovered in Parkdale Garage

"The garage had been rented out since March 2008. It's owned by a numbered company. "The guy who rented it out came forward and gave us a statement. A total of eight search warrants were issued since Thursday's raid on Kenk's bike shop."

North Bay Nugget: Toronto may register bikes with police

An anti-theft plan that would see bikes automatically registered with police when purchased could be in place by next year, the chairman of the Toronto Cycling Committee says. The city is scrambling to keep up with an explosion in cycling.

CTV: Police find another stash of bikes in theft probe

A third person has been arrested as part of the bike theft investigation. Police said Wednesday that a 37-year-old woman was taken into custody.

Toronto Police: Wanted - owners of 1,500 bicycles

“Thefts would go down drastically if everyone registered their bicycle,” said Major Crime Unit Det. Izzy Bernardo. “We stop known thieves all the time with different bikes and run the serial numbers but the bikes never show up as stolen on the syste

InsideToronto: More than 2,000 stolen bikes, parts now recovered

Because of the significant quantity, police are looking to relocate the massive cache to a larger warehouse nearby. Visit www.torontopolice.on.ca for further details. Owners of the stolen bicycles must provide proof of ownership.

CBC: Police 'astonished' as number of stolen bikes recovered passes...

"I'm astonished," Supt. Ruth White told reporters outside a garage where police were executing one of the warrants in the morning. "I've never seen this in 30 years, that allegedly one individual can accumulate this many bicycles over this many years."

Star: Owners slow to show up as stolen bikes sorted

It's not over yet. The investigation continues as a steady stream of tips comes in to Crime Stoppers, and more bikes are expected to be recovered, police said. Anyone who rented garage space to Kenk is being asked to contact police.

CityNews: Bikes Return To Rightful Owners After Raid

A police raid on a west end bike shop has led to a pleasant surprise for several GTA residents reunited with their allegedly stolen rides after a sting operation at the Bicycle Clinic.

CTV: Police seize thousands of bikes in Toronto

The latest cache of more than 200 bicycles was discovered on Dovercourt Road in the city's west end. Police spent a part of Monday afternoon at the scene executing a search warrant. They expect to make more seizures in the weeks to come.

Reuters: Wanted - owners for 1,500 stolen Toronto bicycles

Toronto cyclists often describe their city as one of the bike theft capitals of North America, if not the world. But figures from lockmaker Kryptonite, says Toronto, unlike Philadelphia, Chicago and New York, is not even in North America's Top 10.

CBC: Recovered hoard of bicycles overwhelms police facilities

Police said they've busted one of the biggest stolen bike rings in city history and are asking for the public's help to provide any information about other places Kenk may have rented for storage space.

Sun: 200 more bikes seized

Kenk, who owns the Bicycle Clinic, was sent back to the Don Jail after court ruled more time was needed to allow for cops to lay charges in connection with the recent raids on four locations including Kenk's shop and the Yorkville home he lived at.

Post: Bike theft victims scour police trove

"I'm not aware of any bicycle seizures in the last 28 years that are as great as this," said Detective Sergeant Egidio Roseto. "It's an enormous number of bikes that we've taken from some storage locations."

Globe: Police recover stolen bikes by the hundreds

Superintendent Ruth White said she hasn't seen anything like it in 30 years of policing. "We had a woman identify her bike that was stolen eight years ago," she said, adding that about 70 owners had so far been reunited with their wheels.

Star: Bike theft tally tops 1,200

Over a period of five days, police recovered between 1,200 and 1,500 bicycles, as well as about 1.5 kilos of marijuana and several ounces of crack cocaine, in a store, residence and several garages while executing a series of search warrants.

BlogTO: Recovered Bikes Find Rightful Owners

"Next weekend there will be more to see in a bigger facility," said Evans. Stay tuned for information on where and when this will be set up. More than 50 bicycles have so far been identified and returned to their rightful owners.

Sun: More bikes recovered

One by one, vintage cruisers and high-end racing bikes were brought out over the course of an hour from the back garage, which was riddled with garbage bags and tires -- filling four police cargo trucks.

Sun: Wheels of good fortune pay off

An 18-month-old girl was one of the happiest riders yesterday after Toronto Police opened their garage doors to reunite cyclists with their stolen bikes.

Star: Police line up battered wheels for cyclists

Katherine Dalziel had almost given up hope when she saw it, lying wheels-up on the concrete floor of the police warehouse: her beloved blue and white Norco road bike, gone missing from a Financial District bike post just over a week ago.

Sun: Police bait bike draws in panhandler

The 40-year-old homeless man with a long rap sheet was nabbed by police who allege he stole a so-called "bait bike" in front of the LCBO on Spadina Ave. in full view of plain-clothes officers.

Sun: A bonanza of bikes

"It's made my day, this seriously has made my day!" said cyclist Navid Taslimi, 36. "It's about time."

CBC: Bike store owner charged in bike theft

Both Kenk and Jean Laveau have been charged with one count of theft under $5,000, one count of attempted theft under $5,000, and one count of possession of property obtained by crime. Laveau faces an additional charge of possessing burglary tools.

BlogTO: Bike Sting Nabs Igor At His Bicycle Clinic

Aside from offering these tips and providing a bicycle registration program, Toronto cops have largely turned a blind eye to this ongoing problem in our city. Until now.

CBC: Bike store owner charged in bike theft

Both Kenk and Jean Laveau have been charged with one count of theft under $5,000, one count of attempted theft under $5,000, and one count of possession of property obtained by crime. Laveau faces an additional charge of possessing burglary tools.

BlogTO: Bike Sting Nabs Igor At His Bicycle Clinic

Aside from offering these tips and providing a bicycle registration program, Toronto cops have largely turned a blind eye to this ongoing problem in our city. Until now.

[joe]

More news today:

CityNews: Police Launch Bike Recovery Program Following Raids

35 Strachan Ave., or at 30 Ordnance Street at the following times: * Friday, July 25, 2008: noon to 8 pm, * Saturday, July 26, 2008 and Sunday, July 27, 2008: 10 am to 6 pm, * Monday, July 28, 2008 to Thursday, July 31, 2008: noon to 8 pm

Star: Bike theft accused due in court today

While Igor Kenk, accused in a massive series of bike thefts, appears at a bail hearing today, bike-theft victims can go claim their stolen wheels. 3,000 recovered bikes will be on display from noon today at the 45 Strachan Ave. police garage.

[joe]

More Bicycle Viewings this weekend!

You can check to see if your ride was among the hundreds collected by cops at either 35 Strachan Ave., or at 30 Ordnance Street at the following times:

* Friday, July 25, 2008: noon to 8 pm

* Saturday, July 26, 2008 and Sunday, July 27, 2008: 10 am to 6 pm

* Monday, July 28, 2008 to Thursday, July 31, 2008: noon to 8 pm

News Stories:

http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_25074.aspx
http://www.thestar.com/article/467109

[joe]

More viewings announced (full details on the blog):

The Toronto Police have just announced more viewing times for the close to 3000 bikes they found after they apprehended Igor Kenk paying a theif to steal a bike.

The bicycles will be on display at 35 Strachan Ave. (between Lake Shore Blvd. and King St. W.) at these times:

- Thursday, August 21 and Friday, August 22, noon - 8 p.m.,

- Saturday, August 23 and Sunday, August 24, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.,

- Monday, August 25 to Friday, August 29, noon - 8 p.m.,

- Saturday, August 30 and Sunday, August 31, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.,

- Monday, September 1, closed

- Tuesday, September 2 to Friday, September 5, noon - 8 p.m.,

- Saturday, September 6 and Sunday September 7, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

[joe]

He's scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 23:

Sun: Court date for Kenk

Igor Kenk, 49, did not appear in an Old City Hall courtroom yesterday but his common-law wife, Jeanie Chung, who is also Kenk's co-accused, showed up. Kenk, who owned a bicycle shop, was arrested in July and slapped with 58 charges. Toronto Police seized almost 3,000 bicycles that were allegedly stolen. Kenk and Chung are to appear in court on Dec. 23.

[joe]

Igor Kenk arrested on assault charges!

www.thestar.com/article/553801

Bicycle shop owner Igor Kenk, awaiting trial on 58 charges for bike thefts and drugs, faces new charges after a dispute with homeowners yesterday. Police say a man looking for stored items entered the garage of a house on Dufferin St. near Wallace Ave. When the owners of the house intervened, the man is alleged to have swung a metal pipe at them before fleeing in a vehicle.