Upper Darby unveils bait car
The bait car has arrived.
Upper Darby police took possession today of a decoy car that will be used to trap unsuspecting criminals as they attempt to steal the vehicle.
After a short training period, the car will be put on the streets, said Michael J. Chitwood, superintendent of police.
"Let those who are going to steal, rob and pillage know: Beware, you could be on Bait TV," Chitwood said.
Standard features in the cars include GPS units, video cameras that feed to police laptops, and devices that allow the cars to lock down and set off alarms when the thieves enter.
Allstate Insurance donated the car. The company restores damaged cars and outfits them with about $20,000 in technology before giving them to police.
Last year, 202 cars were stolen in Upper Darby; 84 this year. According to FBI crime reports, about 950,000 motor vehicles were stolen in 2008, resulting in a $6.4 billion loss. Those numbers were down from previous years. Across Pennsylvania, 22,243 motor-vehicle thefts were reported in 2008 - an average of 61 a day.
Contact staff writer Mari A. Schaefer at 610-892-9149 or mschaefer@phillynews.com.
