Jamie Paige / Special to the Daily Press
The Los Angeles City Council’s Public Safety Committee has voted to ban bicycle chop shops in Los Angeles. The ban would prohibit the assembly, disassembly, sale, offer of sale, distribution of bicycles and bicycle parts on public property.
Bike chop shops are spaces where individuals take apart stolen bicycles, sell parts and reassemble them often in the public right-of-way. “Thieves have little or no fear of repercussions of this activity,” said Councilmember Joe.
The motion, which was introduced by Councilman Joe Buscaino, passed 4-1, with Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson dissenting. Harris-Dawson did not speak about the motion during the meeting, and his office did not immediately respond to questions about the basis for his no vote.
The motion calls on the city attorney to prepare an ordinance similar to one already in effect in Long Beach to prohibit the assembly, disassembly, sale, offer of sale, distribution of bicycles and bicycle parts on public property or within the public right-of-way. It will next be reviewed by the Public Works Committee before reaching the full City Council.
“Thousands of residents in our city rely on bicycles as their primary means of transportation,” said Buscaino. “The proliferation of bicycle chop shops on our streets creates a public safety hazard, and the fact that they currently operate with impunity only encourages the increasing theft of bicycles. This motion will finally provide consequences for this criminal activity which will lead to a decrease in bicycle thefts.”
Published in partnership with the Venice Current
