Shreveport Police Dept.

Date: July 7, 2006

Phone: 318/673-6932 Fax: 318/673-6933

Contact: Kacee Hargrave, Public Information Officer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPD gets first “bait car” program in the state

The Shreveport Police Department unveiled today a new program that will put “bait cars” on the streets to catch auto thieves.

Bait cars are vehicles that have been equipped with special monitoring and tracking systems that alert officers that the vehicle has been stolen. Officers can use a computer to track the location of the vehicle, as well as disengage and lock the thief inside the vehicle. Cameras are installed on the car that captures the whole incident on video.

Bait Car programs have proven to be very successful in other cities that have them nationwide. In some cases, auto theft rates dropped as much as 37 to 40 percent, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

So far this year, auto thefts in the City of Shreveport are up about 15 percent from the same time period last year (586 in 2006, as compared to 491 auto thefts in 2005). It is hoped the bait cars will bring a drop in that statistic by the end of the year.

Shreveport Police Department was chosen to get the first Bait Car program in the state by the Louisiana Auto Theft and Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority. It was made possible through a donation by Met-Life Insurance Company.

Each bait car is valued at approximately $50,000. Other details about when, where and what type of bait cars will be used is confidential – only the car thieves themselves will find out!

-spd-

View all SPD press releases at www.ci.shreveport.la.us/dept/police/spdnews