Igor Kenk

Igor Kenk (born 7 April 1959) is known since 2008 as the most infamous and prolific bicycle thief in Canada. More than 3,000 bicycles were recovered in police raids. Kenk pleaded guilty to sixteen Criminal Code charges of theft on 15 December 2009 at Old City Hall court. He was dubbed "the world's most prolific bike thief".

Biography

Igor Kenk was born on 7 April 1959 in Maribor, a city in Slovenia. In Slovenia, he was a police officer. In February 1988, Kenk moved to Toronto, Ontario in Canada.

Kenk was long known for operating the Bicycle Clinic, a bike repair shop on Queen St. W, Toronto, Ontario. In May 1993, Kenk was charged with the Criminal Code offence of possession of stolen property. The Toronto Police Service confiscated 140 bikes but the charges were later dismissed.

The Toronto Police Service (14th Division) raided the Bicycle Clinic on 16 July 2008. However, the Toronto Fire Department blocked the police from entering the building for safety reasons. A Fire Department rescue squad had to remove the upper-floor windows and lower the bicycles by rope because the Queen West store was crammed with bicycles and bike parts. A police sting uncovered 2,865 bikes in garages and warehouses throughout the city. The 50-year-old repair man was hit with 58 charges relating to bike theft and 22 charges relating to drugs.

His warehouses have been emptied, and about 450 bikes restored to their owners.

Judge Kathleen Caldwell sentenced Kenk to 30 months in jail. After time spent awaiting trial, Kenk's term is likely to be four months.

Kenk was released in early March 2010, after serving sixteen months in prison.

Kenk is the subject of journalistic comic book called Kenk: A Graphic Portrait, which was released in May 2010. In 2012, it was also published in Slovenia.