Florida the rules are different here Chapter LXI

Police set a trap for car thieves, using what they call a 'bait car'. Guess what? Due to a computer glitch, thieves got away with the car! This isn't the first time it happened either, Palm Beach County police had the same thing happen a few months ago. Don't you just love Florida?

Linked to- Basil's Blog, Bright & Early, Cao's Blog, Jo's Cafe, Bullwinkle Blog,

To catch a car thief, investigators park cars in vulnerable spots and wait for someone to steal them.

It usually takes only a few days for someone to drive off with the "bait vehicle" and a few moments for deputies to catch up with it.

But this week, someone took the bait. And made off with it.

The technology used to track down the white Ford Mustang failed, said Palm Beach County Auto Theft Task Force Lt. Michael Wallace. When deputies returned to the parking spot near Forest Hill Boulevard and Jog Road, it was gone.

"It's computerized. Technology every now and then fails. The vehicle got stolen the other night and didn't do what it was supposed to do. It didn't let us know it got stolen," Wallace said.

The Mustang, a mid-'90s model, was taken sometime Monday night or Tuesday morning.

On Wednesday, Wallace suspended the bait vehicle program until the glitch in the system can be fixed. He wouldn't say how many other bait cars they have.

By Wednesday night, Wallace said they found the Mustang a few blocks away the old-fashioned way — by looking for it. He said they are closing in on suspects.

"I am confident we will find out who did this. I will be paying them a visit soon," he said. "They had it for over 24 hours."

Wallace said the car was damaged and some equipment was stolen from the trunk.

He said the bait vehicle program had resulted in dozens of arrests over the past five years and is a popular law enforcement tool around the country.

But this is the second time it failed here, Wallace said.

A few months ago, someone stole a bait vehicle and it took too long to alert the task force.

Investigators found it a few days later and arrested the suspects, but suspended the program for several months.

They had just restarted it a few weeks ago, Wallace said.

"We need to find out what the problem is and correct it," he said.

He said the Mustang will not be used again.