Driven to Steal?
"John Q Public doesn't climb into bait cars.
"We are talking about people who have been arrested time and time again. Everybody we've arrested with a bait car has had an extensive criminal record. In the history of the bait car program we have never arrested a cherry [someone without a prior arrest].
"If it's you or me, we see a car with the keys in the ignition; we think 'Who was that idiot who left his car running?' but we don't take it. Career criminals? These guys who are just waiting around for an opportunity to commit a crime, that's who this technology targets.
"I find it amazing that we are even having this entrapment discussion. There is no doubt in my mind that if the bait cars weren't there, these guys would be out stealing cars. We caught a guy who had 92 arrests. If he's been caught that many times, how many crimes is he getting away with?
"People say we are creating temptation, but I don't know if I believe that. If you know your city and know the crime patterns in your city why would you not do this? Why would you not attack that issue? This is a situation of policing smarter, not harder. Thirty percent of the cars stolen in Daytona Beach are stolen because the keys to the vehicle are readily accessible to thieves. [Victims] leave their keys on the dash, in the trunk; it sounds crazy, but people get their cars stolen because they leave them running.
"We arrested a career criminal after we caught him on tape in a bait car. He was yelling that he was 'Set up like a M**********r!' We didn't set you up, you set yourself up. You could have just walked right by the car. And you didn't. And now that guy with 42 prior arrests, 20 of them for stolen cars, is sitting in jail."
"Is the use of bait cars entrapment? Absolutely.
"Think about the definition of law enforcement. Cops are there to enforce the law. To stop crime. And apprehend those who violate law. Police are not there to create crimes.
"The individual who's arrested in a bait car did not have intent to commit crime until law enforcement created the opportunity. It's like having a great-looking undercover female police officer on the corner, [dressed as a prostitute] who's hoping to solicit an inquiry. They're creating crime. There may not have been any intent until he saw the attractive police woman, until the cops lured him into the trap.
"Police chiefs and elected sheriffs know how to play the 6pm news. You need video.
"It's especially egregious to arrest a first-time offender. With kids, having a car is a major status symbol. The keys are there in the ignition. 'Let's go for a joy ride.' Bait cars play to natural impulses of teens, who don't have same kind of judgment as adults."
