Auto theft down across B.C., up in Victoria

Auto theft in B.C. dropped by about 15 per cent in the first six months of this year according to statistics released Monday by the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team.

Police say the numbersdemonstratethat the bait car program continues to be a success.

However Victoria has experiencedan increase in car theftof 38 per cent, compared to the same period last year.

Sgt. Keith Linder told CBC News that when the program was firstintroduced in the capital in April 2005, car theft dropped dramatically.

But Linder says Victoria has fewer bait cars on the road these days because they're being shared among other area police departments. He says car thieves know that, too.

"The rates of charges that I've had in the last six months here, just in Victoria-Esquimalt, have been drastically less, because of the fact that we've been sharing vehicles out in other areas."

Bait cars are specially equipped so that officers can pinpoint their location and kill the engine via remote control. The vehicles also have video cameras that are activated when a door is opened, providing important courtroom evidence.

Linder expects more bait cars will be deployedin Victoria by next spring.