Two Calgary men are facing multiple charges after police seized tens of thousands of dollars worth of stolen bicycles.
Officers from the Calgary Police Department’s Online Stolen Property Team learned this month of a man they believed to be selling a stolen bicycle online.
They believed the bike was taken during a break-and-enter that happened at a downtown Calgary apartment complex in September.
Police say the bike was registered with Bike Index and was flagged as being stolen on the program’s website, which made it easier for the officers to identify.
The team began investigating in early January, which eventually lead to the retrievel of the bike and a reunion with its owner.
Rochsarg Buquel, 27, has been charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000 and trafficking stolen property.
His next court date is scheduled for Feb. 24.
The investigation into the suspected chop shop continued, and on Jan. 23, officers executed a search warrant at a home on Manora Hill NE.
During the search, officers found and seized 11 high-end bikes with a value of $70,000, as well as two replica guns, ammunition and methamphetamine.
Items seized during a search warrant on Jan. 23, 2025. (Calgary Police)
Sixty-four-year-old Juan Castillo Pasion is now facing charges of possession of stolen property over $5,000, trafficking stolen property, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a prohibited weapon, and two counts of possession of a weapon and ammunition white prohibited.
Officers are working to return the recovered bicycles to their rightful owners. Calgary police has a Facebook page with an album showcasing recovered bikes.
Calgarians who believe they are the rightful owner of a bike are encouraged to email recoveredproperty@calgarypolice.ca
If you locate a bike that does not belong to you, report it on the Calgary Police Service bike recovery website.
Calgarians are also reminded to register their bikes with Bike Index, a free online bike registration service, to aid in returning stolen bikes recovered by the CPS to their rightful owners.
Anyone with information about this, or similar incidents, is asked to contact police by calling 403-266-1234. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers through any of the following methods: