Crime & Safety

Golden Valley Police To Host Fundraiser and Raise Money For a Bait Car

The bait car would help combat vehicle thefts, which have been on the rise in the city the past few years.

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 soon Golden Valley police may have a new tool to put the brakes on those numbers with a "bait car." 

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.

Find out what's happening in Golden Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“It’s a way to confirm and arrest auto thieves with as little danger as possible,” said Golden Valley Police Chief Stacy Carlson.

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.

Find out what's happening in Golden Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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

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.

The pancake breakfast fundraiser is 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14, at Covenant Village, 5800 St. Croix Ave. N. The all-you-can-eat event costs $3 per person and includes pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee. To RSVP please call: 877-309-0312 or register online.

Auto theft is a persistent problem throughout the United States; according to the FBI, a car is stolen every 40 seconds. Nationally, auto theft increased 1.7 percent in 2012 (more than 720,000 motor vehicle thefts with an estimated value of $4.3 billion). Stolen vehicles are frequently used to facilitate other criminal acts such as burglaries, robberies, identity theft, drive-by shootings and drug sales. To help keep your vehicle from being stolen--never leave it running unattended and park in well-lit, highly visible area.

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


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from Golden Valley