Man Accused Of Running Bike Theft Ring Granted Bail
Posted August 1, 2008 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The man accused of stealing the freedom of mobility from thousands of Torontonians will soon be free himself. Igor Kenk was granted $275,000 bail on Friday, but may not actually be released until the weekend while the paperwork is processed.
The 49-year-old bike store owner is accused of running an elaborate bike theft ring, and will have to adhere to strict conditions, including house arrest, once he is out of custody.
Kenk, who is also facing a slew of drug and theft charges, sat expressionless in the courtroom at Old City Hall when the judge agreed to grant him bail.
“A basic tenet of the justice system is, you’re presumed innocent, and part of that is judicial interim release,” Kenk’s lawyer Lon Rose told CityNews following the hearing. “Why would we keep people in custody when their cases haven’t seen the light of day in terms of having all the merits tested and the evidence tested? There’s a presumption for people to be released when they face criminal charges.
“This has been an extremely trying experience for him, and he hasn’t had a very easy time of it at the Don Jail.”
Kenk was arrested after undercover officers allegedly spotted him ordering a man to steal two bikes on Queen Street. Subsequent searches of property owned or rented by the accused uncovered 2,700 bikes that police believe were stolen. Only 466, however, have been claimed.
Police also allege that $70,000 worth of drugs was seized.
As part of his bail conditions, Kenk will have to undergo both substance abuse and psychiatric assessments.
He must also surrender his Slovenian passport.
