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A lot can happen in 18 years, so it was no surprise the contact information for the bike’s owner was obsolete. Some investigating into an Alberta driver’s licence surrender led CPS to discover the owner had moved to Ontario. With the help of police partner agencies out east, Shaw said they were able to get in contact with the original owner.

“They gave her the good news,” Shaw said. “Of course she was overjoyed and shocked at same time, but she was quite impressed that after all these years we still had it on file.”

Having said her goodbyes to the bike many years ago, the owner (who couldn’t be reached for comment) said she’d like the bike to be donated to a Calgary children’s charity.

While Shaw said it might not seem like the most ground-breaking case police have locked up (“Oh wow, you’ve solved the big case, who cares!” were some of the comments from the public Shaw said they’ve been dealing with), he said it’s a testament to the importance of filing proper police reports.

“It took a little longer than we like to get it back, but hey, we still found it,” Shaw said. “But the important part is the reporting aspect. A lot of people won’t report a stolen bike because they think they’ll never find it, but the reality is we need to have these things reported.”

It’s still a mystery as to who stole the bike and where it’s been all these years, but at least there’s some solace in knowing these well-worn wheels are on their way to a new home.