Who says cops dont have a sense of humor - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

hrdwareguy · 01-20-2004, 08:06 AM

Linky

Quote:

Police Add Twist To Bait Cars To Catch 'Bad Boys'
Bait Car Uses TV Show Theme

POSTED: 2:49 PM EST January 17, 2004

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Police have added a musical twist to the booby-trapped "bait car" that locks up would-be thieves who get behind the wheel.

The automobile is now rigged to play the theme from the television show "Cops" when officers remotely disable the engine and nab the crooks.

A videotape recently shot on the car's hidden cameras shows a man hopping in the driver's seat and muttering to himself, "I got me a good one."

He drives a short distance before an officer monitoring the situation from a remote location flips a switch that disables the engine and locks the door. Then, the car's tape player can be heard blaring the reggae-inflected tune from the television show's opening credits:

"Bad boys, bad boys/Whatcha gonna do/Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?"

The car has caught 10 thieves in two days of use last week, Lt. Marie Ballou said.

The arrests include a federal robbery suspect, four others carrying guns and one with a pending auto-theft charge, she said.

"We only put it out there once a month or so and for about three days at a time, but it's been effective," Ballou said.

Technology hidden in the cars, used by police around the country, allows police to monitor the vehicles, disable their engines, lock their doors and even remotely control their sound systems.

Columbus police put the bait car to use in July and added the "Cops" theme this month.

Car thefts have jumped recently because people are leaving their cars running unattended to warm them on cold mornings, police said.

"It's a problem we have every year in the winter," said Sgt. Larry Yates of the auto theft unit. "Just because your car's running in your driveway doesn't make it safer."

Bait cars are also used by Cleveland police, the State Highway Patrol and other law enforcement in the state.

Personally I think this is funny as hell.

aintyoboyfriend · 01-20-2004, 08:12 AM

OMg. that is so hilarious.

Whats next? Are the spy cars going to beat you into submission automatically?

glasscutter43 · 01-20-2004, 08:25 AM

WTF!!!
This bait car averages 5 busts a day but they only use it 3 days per month?
Maybe instead of the "Cops" soundtrack, they should have installed a donut dispenser and I'm sure the cops would use the car a lot more often.

Cynthetiq · 01-20-2004, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by glasscutter43
WTF!!!
This bait car averages 5 busts a day but they only use it 3 days per month?
Maybe instead of the "Cops" soundtrack, they should have installed a donut dispenser and I'm sure the cops would use the car a lot more often.

it takes alot of logistics and planning as to wear to put those cars for 3 days. Safety is the most important thing.

kulrblind · 01-20-2004, 08:33 AM

Golden... absolutely golden.

Personally, I love those television shows where they air the hidden-camera footage of car thieves in the specially-rigged cars.

denim · 01-20-2004, 08:34 AM

You wouldn't want the thieves to get used to the idea, either.

IMHO, this is a good idea.

aphex140 · 01-20-2004, 08:37 AM

lol
YOu seem to know too much glasscutter

steelerz · 01-20-2004, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by denim
You wouldn't want the thieves to get used to the idea, either.

IMHO, this is a good idea.

Very true. I'm sure if the car was out there more often word would spread fast. Would knowing the car is out there somewhere make the bad guys think twice before grabbing a car?
Who knows.

The Cops theme playing is friggin hilarious.

water_boy1999 · 01-20-2004, 09:34 AM

Hahahaha!!! That is so funny!!! Next thing you know they will be installing a spring loaded boxing glove, inserted into the steering column to know the crap out of would be thieves. Then they can play LL Cool J's, "Momma said knock you out"

absorbentishe · 01-20-2004, 09:47 AM

That is one of the best ideas I've heard about in a long time! Can't pull one over on the cops.

numist · 01-20-2004, 09:52 AM

I want to see video feeds from those cars...

Cops... that is great.

Back in Canada, my uncle has a remote start on his van for when he has to go to teach school in the morning. The van is always locked, he just points a remote out the window while he sips his coffee and the van starts and warms up. More people need to know of this option, else they deserve to have their running, unlocked cars stolen from their driveways.

I think that with more department planning they could do it in multiple locations, although, if I were caught, while waiting for the police, Id use a knife to carve "BOOBY TRAP" somewhere visible...

feelgood · 01-20-2004, 10:28 AM

The concept of cop car bait has been around for while. I think I first heard of it back in 1998 when I saw a report about it on the local news.

Redlemon · 01-20-2004, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by water_boy1999
Next thing you know they will be installing a spring loaded boxing glove, inserted into the steering column to know the crap out of would be thieves.

japhyryder · 01-20-2004, 10:45 AM

You would think within a couple days the local theives would figure out what kind of car to avoid

skysooner · 01-20-2004, 10:51 AM

Most thieves aren't that smart. The really smart ones are the ones you never hear about.

legolas · 01-20-2004, 11:45 AM

lol!!! Personally I think this is a great twisted way to catch criminals.

onodrim · 01-20-2004, 12:08 PM

Ha! That is very very funny.

But yeah, I can imagine that eventually car theives will know which car to avoid.

JohnS72 · 01-20-2004, 01:26 PM

Am I the only person who thought of the car scene from Robocop when I read this? lol

hrdwareguy · 01-20-2004, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by numist
More people need to know of this option, else they deserve to have their running, unlocked cars stolen from their driveways.

That's why I have a spare key in my wallet. That way I can lock the vehicle while it's warming up and I can still get in to it when I'm ready to go.

mingusfingers · 01-20-2004, 03:18 PM

Haha-I want the video of that.

present_future · 01-20-2004, 08:49 PM

That is so funny. I bet those guys feel pretty dumb when they get caught.

kulrblind · 01-21-2004, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by onodrim
Ha! That is very very funny. But yeah, I can imagine that eventually car theives will know which car to avoid.

You mean the "ordinary-looking-cars-with-the-hidden-equipment-inside"?

I would think that making the car visibily "rigged" from the ouside would be one of the easier things to circumvent. God, I hope so, anyway.

troit · 01-21-2004, 08:38 AM

Don't do the crime if your not willing to do the time...

I never thought I'd say something like this but "Good for the Cops..."

jujueye · 01-21-2004, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by glasscutter43
WTF!!!
This bait car averages 5 busts a day but they only use it 3 days per month?

If they put it out every day, would-be thieves would recognize it instantly and avoid it.

What they need is some money to buy two or three cars to use.

01-20-2004, 08:25 AM	#3 (permalink)
glasscutter43 Insane Location: Vancouver Island BC	WTF!!! This bait car averages 5 busts a day but they only use it 3 days per month? Maybe instead of the "Cops" soundtrack, they should have installed a donut dispenser and I'm sure the cops would use the car a lot more often. __________________ Book 'em Danno

01-20-2004, 08:37 AM	#7 (permalink)
aphex140 Psycho Location: northamptonshire	lol YOu seem to know too much glasscutter __________________ Computers allow us to make more mistakes at a faster rate than any other man-made thing, with the exception of handguns and tequila. [/QUOTE=BAMF]Do they role a die, with a 1/3 chance of being flacid?[/QUOTE]

01-20-2004, 09:34 AM	#9 (permalink)
water_boy1999 Fly em straight! Location: Above and Beyond	Hahahaha!!! That is so funny!!! Next thing you know they will be installing a spring loaded boxing glove, inserted into the steering column to know the crap out of would be thieves. Then they can play LL Cool J's, "Momma said knock you out" __________________ Doh!!!! -Homer Simpson

01-20-2004, 10:28 AM	#12 (permalink)
feelgood Free Mars! Location: I dunno, there's white people around me saying "eh" all the time	The concept of cop car bait has been around for while. I think I first heard of it back in 1998 when I saw a report about it on the local news. __________________ Looking out the window, that's an act of war. Staring at my shoes, that's an act of war. Committing an act of war? Oh you better believe that's an act of war

01-20-2004, 10:45 AM	#14 (permalink)
japhyryder no one special Location: Charlotte, NC	You would think within a couple days the local theives would figure out what kind of car to avoid __________________ It's only entertainment, someone's sick idea of a joke.

01-20-2004, 08:12 AM	#2 (permalink)
aintyoboyfriend Insane Location: Arlington, VA	OMg. that is so hilarious. Whats next? Are the spy cars going to beat you into submission automatically?

01-20-2004, 08:33 AM	#5 (permalink)
kulrblind plays well with others Location: Canada	Golden... absolutely golden. Personally, I love those television shows where they air the hidden-camera footage of car thieves in the specially-rigged cars.

01-20-2004, 08:34 AM	#6 (permalink)
denim Banned Location: Massachusetts, USA	You wouldn't want the thieves to get used to the idea, either. IMHO, this is a good idea.

01-20-2004, 09:47 AM	#10 (permalink)
absorbentishe Boy am I horny today Location: T O L E D O, Toledo!!	That is one of the best ideas I've heard about in a long time! Can't pull one over on the cops.

01-20-2004, 09:52 AM	#11 (permalink)
numist Banned Location: UCSD, 510.49 miles from my love	I want to see video feeds from those cars... Cops... that is great. Back in Canada, my uncle has a remote start on his van for when he has to go to teach school in the morning. The van is always locked, he just points a remote out the window while he sips his coffee and the van starts and warms up. More people need to know of this option, else they deserve to have their running, unlocked cars stolen from their driveways. I think that with more department planning they could do it in multiple locations, although, if I were caught, while waiting for the police, Id use a knife to carve "BOOBY TRAP" somewhere visible...

01-20-2004, 10:51 AM	#15 (permalink)
skysooner Registered User Location: Oklahoma	Most thieves aren't that smart. The really smart ones are the ones you never hear about.

01-20-2004, 11:45 AM	#16 (permalink)
legolas shit faced cockmaster Location: CT	lol!!! Personally I think this is a great twisted way to catch criminals. __________________ "To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems."

01-20-2004, 12:08 PM	#17 (permalink)
onodrim Cosmically Curious Location: Chicago, IL	Ha! That is very very funny. But yeah, I can imagine that eventually car theives will know which car to avoid. __________________ "The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there’s little good evidence. Far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides" -Carl Sagan

01-20-2004, 01:26 PM	#18 (permalink)
JohnS72 Crazy	Am I the only person who thought of the car scene from Robocop when I read this? lol

01-20-2004, 03:18 PM	#20 (permalink)
mingusfingers Psycho Location: uhhhh	Haha-I want the video of that. __________________ Still Looking

01-20-2004, 08:49 PM	#21 (permalink)
present_future Take my hand Location: Everywhere, but nowhere	That is so funny. I bet those guys feel pretty dumb when they get caught. __________________ The only thing I'll ever ask of you... you gotta promise not to stop when I say when.

01-21-2004, 08:38 AM	#23 (permalink)
troit Transfer Agent Location: NYC	Don't do the crime if your not willing to do the time... I never thought I'd say something like this but "Good for the Cops..." __________________ I've yet to dephile myself...