Community Corner

Wednesday: Golden Valley Police Pancake Fundraiser Aug. 14

Help take a bite out of crime by raising money for a a new bait car for the police department.

The Golden Valley Police Department will host an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast fundraiser 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14, at Covenant Village, 5800 St. Croix Ave. N. The event costs $3 per person and includes pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee. 
The event is to help raise funds for a bait car for the department.

Auto thieves sped off with 19 vehicles in Golden Valley in 2011 and another 24 in 2012, contributing to a sustained increase in the crime during the last few years.

But a bait car could be just the new tool to put the brakes on those thefts.

What is a bait car? A bait car mimics a make and model of vehicle that is frequently stolen. It contains software and GPS signaling that notifies dispatch when the car is stolen and where it is located. Police then have the ability to shut down the car remotely avoiding a high speed pursuit.

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The city doesn’t currently have funds to cover the car equipment and software costs, but it will get help this August from a Covenant Village retirement community pancake breakfast fundraiser.

"Auto theft is a hard crime to make an arrest in," said Golden Valley Police Chief Stacy Carlson. "Thieves tend to dump the cars quickly or turn them into parts and the evidence is lost."

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But if thieves steal a bait car, a conviction is guaranteed. Everything that happens in a bait car is recorded, she said. In addition to leading to more convictions, bait cars also discourage would-be thieves who know the technology is out there and don’t want to take their chances.

To RSVP for the pancake breakfast please call: 877-309-0312 or register online.

(Information from the city of Golden Valley's website.)


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