How I caught a thief red handed
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Fighting back
Using bait vehicles to catch car thieves is nothing new. Now Assisted Patrol is bringing the “bait car” model to fighting property crime. Thieves are caught in the act with stolen tablets and cellphones, making arrests and convictions easier. Catching crooks and reducing local theft rates also spreads goodwill with the public, easing frustration that police haven’t been able to do more.
The company, based in Dayton, Ohio, was founded by software entrepreneur David Gasper after he noticed a rash of car break-ins in the city’s South Park historic district. Gasper developed the Assisted Patrol system after a series of brainstorming sessions with Dayton police, who helped him design the product.
The system consists of sensors to determine a theft, text notifications to monitoring officers, a camera to take photos of suspects in the act and GPS tracking – all in real time. The electronic trail provides evidence from the day of the offense all the way to trial, says Sgt. Chris Chopin of the Grand Prairie (Texas) PD, whose department has made several arrests using Assisted Patrol.
The Assisted Patrol system, which can be deployed in one day after less than an hour of training, operates on a live cell phone or tablet that has added security features to prevent thieves from removing the SIM card or powering off the device.
The bait technology can also be applied to other items, such as backpacks, bicycles or purses, and in a variety of locations, such as libraries, shopping malls, bars and airports, according to your community’s needs.