SAN CLEMENTE, Calif.—City officials agreed May 3 to explore a possible new law other Southern California cities have recently passed that prohibits the sale or repair of bikes on public property—otherwise known as “chop shops.”
“Generally, my default position on public policy is not to restrict the rights of people to do what they want to do,” Councilmember Steve Knoblock said during the meeting. “But in this case, [chop shops] are a serious problem in San Clemente.”
Orange County Sheriff spokesman Sgt. Scott Steinle said, if the city believes establishing such a law may help discourage bicycle theft then it will have “a great impact” on the rightful owner. The sheriff’s department, he said, does not keep stats of stolen bicycles.
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