Use of Bait Bikes Resulted in 60 Arrests in Sacramento
8 Mar 2016In an effort to deter the theft of bikes and other property, South Sacramento has enacted a bait-bike program.
The program, which was first launched two years ago in midtown and has spread to other areas in the city, has proven to be an effective way to deter criminals from stealing bikes and other personal property.
According to officials, the bait-bikes act as a deterrent, preventing criminals who target bikes from stealing them. The bikes, which are equipped with GPS tracking devices, are set out at random times and are sent to random locations. According to Sgt. Bryce Heinlein, a spokesman for the Sacramento police, a total of 160 bait-bikes were deployed, and they resulted in a total of 60 arrests and citations last year.
Jenna Abbott, the executive director of Mack Road Partnership, said that her organization has been watching the bait-bike program with a lot of interest. She said that the people who were picked up as a result of the bait-bikes were actually linked to larger crimes, which proves that the program is effective.
As a result of the effectiveness of this program, the Mack Road Partnership and the Florin Road Partnership have each paid approximately $1,500 for three bait bikes for Southern Sacramento, according to Abbott.
According to the police, a total of 142 bike thefts occurred in and around South Sacramento last year. Presently, officials have access to about a dozen bait-bikes, which they can deploy at any time. The majority of the bikes were paid for by business groups in hopes of reducing the crime rate in the area.
According to Heinlein, once the bait-bikes are deployed, they are typically stolen within a 48 hour period. Since the bikes are valued at approximately $950, suspects who are caught can be charged with felony grand theft; however, since the value of the bikes does depreciate, some suspects are charged with a misdemeanor and are given a citation.
The executive director of the Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates, Jim Brown, is excited about the program and welcomes its expansion into South Sacramento. Brown did, however, also point out that making good parking options available for bikes can also deter theft.
Though improvements can be made with the program, it has proven to be effective.
The Sacramento Police Department encourages bike owners to register their bicycles on their online registry called Ride On! http://rideon.sacpd.org.
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