Woman's stolen bike offered up on Kijiji

A Winnipeg woman who found her stolen bike on Kijiji is frustrated after police saidofficers wouldn't go to the home.

The bike was locked up but the thieves cut through the thick cable just over a week ago.

On some advice from friends,KahliaBeaudette searched kijiji.com, the online classifieds site, and located her bike.

The ad said the seat neededsome fixing.

"That's pretty obvious because I have the right seat for that bike," she said.

Beaudettereported it to police and evengave them the bike's serial number and the seller's address and they said they would contact her if her bike was ever recovered. But, they told her, even if they did find it, it wouldn't be returned to her for a long time.

"Even if they did find the bike there, it could be two years in court before I get the bike back because then it's a piece of evidence. And that's only if I decide to press charges!" she said.

She suggested she might go after it herself, but they dissuaded her from doing that, telling her the people were known to officers and have had multiple run-ins with police.

"I obviously don't expect the police to jump every time somebody thinks they found theirstolen goods on Kijiji, but at the same time it would be nice if there was something you could do other than dealing with it yourself,"Beaudettesaid, adding she has learned her lesson.

"I've learned that I can't leave my bike locked up overnight outside," she said.

She now has a replacement but doesn't expect to ever get her other bike back.