Wireless, GPS-Loaded 'Bait Car' Traps Thieves

captainClassLoader writes: "The Washington Post is reporting that a late-model car, loaded with wireless surveillance gear, a remote kill switch and GPS, is being left (unlocked, presumably) on the streets of the Washington, D.C. metro area as 'bait' for car thieves. This article reports that they've just made their first bust with the vehicle."

Comments

Arlington, VA

[sulli]

My hometown! Well done guys. Arlington is cool in a number of ways - many police officers live in the county, so they drive their patrol cars home and keep them in the driveways. When a cop is your neighbor you can have a better relationship with the PD.

But I'm surprised the headline wasn't: Grand Theft Auto Illegal in Arlington, VA (yro, games)!

Re:I wonder....

[marauder404]

Many cars, including some current Mercedes Benzes, detect the car being towed, notifies MB Customer Service, which in turn calls you. Leave your cell phone number with them in advance, and they'll reach you by cell phone, telling you that your car is either being stolen or towed.

Bike Theives Must Die!!!

[toupsie]

Amen!

I live in NYC and nothing turns my stomach more walking down the sidewalks is seeing a bike chained to a pole stripped everything attached with a bolt. I am an avid cyclist in the city and I would never, ever leave my bike outside because of theft. Cops don't even care. They don't seem to realize that bikes can cost hundred and hundreds of dollars or like my Specialized, thousands. It is a big deal monetarily.

ABC had a 20/20 episode where they had a hidden camera and a bike chained to a post. It took only 5 minutes before the thieves went after it every time they set it up. Typical response of the thief was "Oh, I thought this was my bike. Sorry!", then they would run away.