Vancouver Police Bait Car Program

Auto theft is down in the City of Vancouver and the Bait Car Program is one of the initiatives credited with that result.  As a result of the successes the Program has had, it has been expanded throughout British Columbia.

The Vancouver Police Bait Car Program launched in September of 2002. It was a partnership between the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, (ICBC) and Emergency Communications Southwest B.C. (ECOMM).

ICBC provides the funding for the Bait Car Program and manages the advertising campaigns, which are an integral part of the entire program. The Bait Car Program is about deterrence, as well as prosecution; letting the criminal know that they will be arrested gives them something to think about prior to any theft.

Bait Cars are vehicles that are equipped with GPS tracking technology, as well as video and audio recording equipment. This equipment is the latest in technology in vehicle tracking.

The program works the following way:

1. Bait Cars are set up in areas where car theft is a problem.
    
2. When a thief opens the door of a Bait Car, an activation alarm is sent to the monitoring station at E-COMM. From this terminal, E-COMM personnel can monitor:
    
1. if the doors are opened or closed,
2. if the ignition is on or off,
3. the speed of the vehicle,
4. and the exact location of the vehicle at all times.
    
3. E-COMM then notifies the appropriate police jurisdiction of the activation.
    
4. When the time is right, police officers advise E-COMM to remotely disable the vehicle. This causes the engine to stop immediately.
    
5. Police officers can then safely take the suspect into custody at a time best suited for the situation.
    
6. After the suspect is in custody, video evidence of the incident, as well as tracking records, are available for court purposes. This is especially beneficial when there are passengers in the car, as there is evidence backing up their knowledge of the crime.

The Bait Car Program is also assisted on a regular basis by Citizens Crime Watch volunteers.  Without their help, a significant amount of additional police resources would be required.

For more information, visit www.baitcar.com.  You’ll find ideas on preventing your vehicle from being stolen and actual footage from Bait Cars you can view over the Internet.

"Watch car thieves caught on tape at BAITCAR.COM."