Car thieves beware: The Calgary police and Calgary Transit are teaming up to bait you.
Since the Bait Car program was introduced in November 2008, car thefts have decreased substantially across the city, according to police, and now they plan to spread that success to transit’s 14,000 park and ride stalls.
“The message is simple. Steal a bait car and we’ll catch you and you will go to jail.
“We have a lot of success with this program as part of the overall auto theft strategy,” police Staff Sgt. Colin Adair said.
A bait car is intended to be stolen and when it is, the location and speed is monitored by police and the suspect will be apprehended, police say.
Adair said the program has been so successful across the city it only makes sense to extend into the city’s park and ride lots.
“We park them everywhere vehicles are being stolen,” Adair said, adding they can’t release the number of bait cars in use.
Brian Whitelaw, Calgary Transit’s safety co-ordinator, is excited about the prospect of making the lots safer.
“This will definitely decrease the amount of car thefts in lots and it’s part of an overall strategy,” he said.
