A new company called Cykelstativet is removing – for a fee – bikes from in front of shops and private buildings throughout Copenhagen.
While getting rid of some of the rusting hulks, which have been sitting around for years in some cases, seems like a good idea, police said that the company is removing the bikes without their permission.
“We have never given anyone at the company permission to remove the bikes,” said police spokesperson Sebastian Rickelsen to Politiken.
Rust never sleeps
Jones Malia, head of Cykelstativet said that his company is simply trying to improve the city.
“We are a cycling country, and we rely on bicycles,” Malia told Politiken. “We want things to look nice and there're already places in the city that look like a big junkyard; we are just trying to clean things up.”
Malia stressed that the company is not “stealing” bikes, and that the owners can retrieve their bikes after they have been removed.
“We work only with the private sector,” said Malia. “We are not disposing of the bikes and the owners can get them back.”
READ MORE: Copenhagen cops bust up international bike theft ring
Cykelstativet’s van picked up about 75 bikes during its initial patrol on 7 July. The owners can retrieve them from the company after paying 187.5 kroner.
