Bait Car

Last week, I was having a little trouble sleeping so I was flipping through the channels and I came across a little piece of entertainment called "Bait Car" on TRU TV.  It is by far one of my favorite shows now when I have nothing else to watch in the middle of the night and it is just unbelievable the characters they catch.  I watched the Atlanta PD edition, but apparently LAPD also does it. 

How it works is a couple of cops dress up as normal people, pull the bait car up in to a parking lot, have a fake argument, then get in another car and take off.  They leave the keys in the ignition, and sometimes leave the bait car's door open.  They leave it in areas known for high auto theft and most of the people they catch have numerous other charges, almost always including a theft charge of some type.  It doesn't take long before someone comes along, checks the car out to see if anyone is watching, gets in, and takes off.  They let them drive a few blocks until squad cars appear out of no where (as it seems to the punks that fall for the bait).  The cops then have control of the car and can shut the engine off and lock the doors trapping the bad guys in the car.  A hidden camera records the frantic antics of the dumb suspects when they realize they've been tricked and this is where the funny parts begin.  Nearly half of the thieves first comments are,  "Aw, sh*t man, this was a set up.  I'm going to jail, my Mamas going to be so mad."  Which proves they have 1)heard about the trap and 2) are still dumb enough to take a car that is sitting with its door open and the engine on. 

The cops arrive and arrest the bad guys.  More funny parts come when the thieves start making up excuses, “I was driving it to the police station for safekeeping.” or "A lady got in a fight with her husband and asked me to take the car and drop it off for her." and finally "This drunk person asked me if I would drive their car home for them and I was just being a good citizen so they didn't hurt anyone."  The show is pretty repetitive, but infinately more fun to watch.  Once the suspect realizes they are definitely going to jail, they start begging the cops not to take them and give even more ridiculous reasons why they shouldn't be hauled off to jail.  The most memorable including, "I left my baby at home all by its self and I need to get back to her." (This just adds on more charges and gets her child taken away from her, geez lady.)  Another favorite excuse of multiple dumb suspects is, "This is the first time I've ever done this, I'm not a theift I'm a drug dealer or hustler."  Seriously?  90% of the time they tell on themselves for other crimes (like drug dealing and hustling) in attempts to get off of the theft charges.  Also, it's always every single one of them's first time stealing a car, according to them.  Yea, right!  If you ever find yourself unable to sleep in the middle of the night, I highly recommend this fine piece of TV entertainment.