Police setting up "bait cars" for people to steal and get charged...?

There was a lot of debate about "sting" operations a few years ago when the NYPD ran a series of them on the subway. They'd have a guy pretend to be really drunk, with his wallet nice and obvious. Then they'd arrest people who tried to steal it. In my mind, it's perfectly fair. I wouldn't EVER think of stealing it because I'm not a thief. Saying "I only stole it because it was really obvious" is just another dumb excuse for being a criminal (but is the kind of thing lawyers will try to use as a defence). I don't think it helps in any particular way except in hot spots. By catching the criminals there, the crime rate can be reduced. It also puts doubts into the minds of other criminals... is that car bait? What about that one over there? Who knows?

I think this method is effective. They can catch the carnappers easily with their Bait cars. Though, they should have broadcast this style, because for sure those carnappers are now trying to formulate ways of how to avoid those "bait cars" .

I completely support the idea of fighting crime like this. As long as it's not done so under entrapment then I have absolutely no problem with it as the people involved are doing the crime completely of their own free will and decision. If not the "bait" then it'll just as easily be someone else.

If there are frequent thefts and not much is done it is the police that gets the blame.This could be a new and innovative method to apprehend thieves.But any person who indulges in stealing cars doesn't deserve mercy.I believe it helps reduce crime and i don't think it is wrong on the part of the police.

I've heard about this in a radio show. This seems to be a good idea but it has drawbacks. A concerned couple noticed that a car was parked in their neighborhood. It was exposed meaning all the windows were open and there were clothes and stuff all over the seats. The couple tried called the police but nothing happened. The car was in their neighborhood for quite some time and they were concerned that it might attract carjackers or it might invite other dangerous incidents. I'm not sure if they called the police a second time but still nothing happened. So they decided to get to the bottom of it. They discovered that there was a radio in the car and not before long, police came and they were arrested for auto theft. The car had been a plant all along. Charges were dropped but they would still have the incident on record, which the couple couldn't stand for. They tried suing the police department but eventually resorted to going to the press and a radio show picked up their story which is how I got to respond to this on mylot. Based on what I heard on the radio, this is just a waste of time and resources. It doesn't help at all and it only endangers people and causes mistrust.

Hi Angelee, I have heard of this and this has been going on for actually awhile. I don`t know how I feel about it, I guess I have mixed feelings because just lately I had my vehicle vandalized but the cops could careless and my insurance premium is 500 bucks so either way ya cant win. They have no right stealing the car in the first place, I think its a good idea because those same people could rob our car next ya never know? Your Friend, Lawrence

It would be illegal here in UK, I believe. Any such act would be to act as 'Agent Provocateur.' all the best urban

i suppose technically it's entrapment by police,but if they weren't out stealing cars,they wouldn't have got bagged in the first place.better a bait car than somebody else's.

I don't see that it is wrong. I go by the advice given to me by Dad when I was in my teens. He said, if you don't want to get into trouble with the police don't do anything wrong. You may get away with it for a while, but very few criminals get away with it always. I once had my car stolen and when I got it back it was wrecked. My insurance wouldn't pay for it to be repaired as it was not conidered to be worth it. They gave me a very low price for it, so I did lost a lot of money to replace the car. I wouldn't steal a car, so I would never get trapped in a bait car. But in my opinion, anybody who would steal a bait car, may steal mine or somebody else's who would end up having problems in replacing it. Expensive cars are getting harder to steal, so it is only the cheaper cars belonging to ordinary people who need them that get stolen. If it is wrong to steal, then it doesn't matter what is stolen, bait car or ordinary. If a person thinks it's OK to steal, then there will be karma, whether or not it is considered right or wrong. _Derek

I like the idea. It catches a lot of criminals in the act of stealing instead of relying on chance to catch them. A dozen thieves are then off the street and we are safer. Unfortunately they will be pout in no time and back to their thieving ways. Most criminals keep it up for many years. Jail doesn't stop them. They always think it was just bad luck to get caught and next time they will be more careful not to get caught.

I am fine with it. If by using that tricks the police can arrest the thief then why not?? If the people is well honest they will not fall in police traps. The baiting is a nice trick!!(^^)

I think it is a great idea to do this. You will catch a thief this way every time. Would I go steal a car even if the keys and everything were in it? HECK NO! So, they should know better. If they didn't want to steal they don't have to do it. It's their own stupidity. The only episode of bait car that I thought was a little unfair was an adult man telling a child to steal it so the child would get in trouble and not him. The child did it because he was scared of the guy. But in the end the adult got charged and the police told the boy this is not a good idea and don't do what other people tell you to do. So it turned out good but at first before the man got caught I was thinking to myself now that wasn't fair at all...

Given the opportunity a thief will be a thief, so good for them for having these bait cars. I see it on TV too... it's a good way to get criminals off the street. I like it a lot.

Nothing wrong with this, in my opinion. If someone is going to be tempted to steal a car simply because there is one available nearby, they deserve to get caught. No one is forcing them to do it. Now, if a police officer in street clothes was standing by with a wad of cash and telling passersby, "I'll give you a hundred dollars to steal that car," I would have a problem with it, because they would be encouraging people to take the bait. But if the thief walks up to the car and tries to steal it without any encouragement, he or she deserves to be arrested and go to jail.

Well I don't think its right but not wrong. I feel that people who has the urge to steal away an open car is inclinded to do something wrong in the future or already stolen a car before and seizing that opporunity when he saw the bait car. I have seen an opened car before and my mom has locked that car door and closed it. Might be an accident or a bait car we would never know at least we did the right thing at that moment.

I watch that show sometimes too, and I have to say I think it is cool!! I like when they get caught because they are all theives!!That should not be going around stealing cars!! I know I would never steal anything!! I say do the crime do the time!!!

Hi angelee! I think that baiting cars is not the greatest idea - yes, you maybe do have a chance of catching criminals but what if no one decides to take the bait, maybe anticipating the trap? There are plenty of real crimes out there happening all the time, the police should be concentrating their time and effort on catching THOSE criminals rather than setting booby traps that may or may not work!

Hi Angelee. I think that this bait car set up is pretty ridiculous. Its like putting temptation in the way of people who perhaps would have acted differently had temptation not been in their way. There are plenty of criminals out there performing real crimes and more than enough real cars that are getting stolen - why don't the police concentrate on catching those criminals? There is nothing to say that the people that get caught trying to steal bait cars are the same people who are out there hi-jacking people and stealing cars from actual citizens. I don't think setting traps is the best way to catch criminals at all! And if no one 'takes the bait', then its a huge waste of police time and energy!!