Police search for person of interest in theft of fundraisers’ bikes

City police are asking for the public’s help identifying a person of interest amid an ongoing investigation into the theft of two bicycles, stolen last month from a pair of New Brunswick men who stopped in Winnipeg while cycling across Canada in support of mental health awareness.

Thomas Clark and Valentin Duquenne previously told the Free Press they were devastated after the bikes went missing outside CBC Manitoba’s headquarters, on July 24.

Valued at $15,000 to $20,000, the bikes — Trek and Cannondale models — were locked on a rack on the back of a support car that was parked on Young Street, just south of Portage Avenue, when the theft happened at about 7:40 a.m. on July 24. The lock had been cut.

Photos released by police on Wednesday show a man standing near two bicycles mounted to the back of a white sedan. Another photo shows the same man riding one of the bikes while holding the second.

Anybody with information about the incident is asked to contact investigators at 204-986-2426 or submit a tip anonymously at Crime Stoppers 204-786-8477 (TIPS) or winnipegcrimestoppers.org.

Winnipeggers rallied to raise nearly $16,000 in just a few days to replace the mens’ bikes, and they’ve since carried on their route west.