MotorAuthority

Police increasingly using “bait cars” to catch thieves

Posted Mon Sep 4 2006 6:42 AM by Kenneth Hall

Authorities around the US are using special high-tech cars to bait thieves in to stealing them. Once they’re stolen, a video camera captures the identity of the driver and sends a message to 911, who in turn use a hidden GPS system to trace the car. Most systems also record any sound inside the car to further help identify drivers.

In Minneapolis, where its been running for almost 10 years, the system has caught 240 people and 34 this year alone. It has a conviction rate of almost 100% because it’s almost impossible to prove innocence with your face on tape.

Often cars are left in vulnerable neighborhoods for days on end, waiting for a thief to come around a try to steal it. More and more cities are planning to introduce such programs, and cops in California and Washington already have similar systems running.

Reader Comments

• Wed Sep 13 2006 12:22 AM

  Jenny says

  Law enforcers can now be able to respond and track thieves more effectively eith this high-tech cars. In fact, since the implementation of its “Bait Carâ€