Hamilton police have arrested a 50-year-old man after investigating a possible bike “chop shop” operation in the city’s east end.

Officers say they became aware of a possible bicycle operation out of an encampment at the Main and King intersection, locally referred to as the “Delta.”

Police say they received multiple reports of stolen bicycles being brought to the area.

During an investigation, officers received a report of a steel bicycle rack being stolen from a nearby McDonalds’s parking lot.

Detectives arrested a 50-year-old man and have charged him with theft under $5,000 and failing to comply with probation.

Investigators seized eight bicycles from the area, noting that some of the bikes had been painted or dismantled, making it potentially difficult for the bike’s owners to identify their stolen property.

Police say on average 450 bicycles are stolen in Hamilton each year, with only four per cent recovered, and 30 per cent of those recovered return to their owners. The department suggests residents to register their bikes on their online registry to help link any recovered bikes to their owners more quickly.

READ MORE: Flash flooding, extreme heat during summer affect local farms