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San Diego Police using bait bikes to crackdown on thefts

In an effort to crackdown on bike thefts throughout the city, San Diego police are expanding their Bait Bike Program.

SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) — In an effort to crackdown on bike thefts throughout the city, San Diego police are expanding their Bait Bike Program.

The bikes are equipped with GPS devices that notify officers when they are being stolen.

Councilmember Lorie Zapf and other city leaders, along with the police, kicked off the second part of the program, which already saw success in Pacific Beach.

Zapf's office donated $5,800 to now fund the program in Ocean Beach and Point Loma.

The money will be used to purchase the GPS-equipped bikes needed and police officers will strategically place them in areas where bikes are regularly stolen.

The bikes are worth over $950, making their theft a felony.

Authorities say getting these criminals off the street will make neighborhoods safer.

"I think that the bicycle thieves are responsible for other crimes as well," said one SDPD officer.

Police used a borrowed bait bike to test its effectiveness in Point Loma. They said it was taken within 10 minutes and an arrest was made.

So far, police have seen a 100 percent success rate during the program's first iteration with over 125 arrests made in Pacific Beach.

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