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By James Neely

It is nothing new for police to use bait tactics in order to catch would-be perpetrators of many types of crimes. Prostitution and drug sting operations are the most common. The goal is to get as many of these types of criminals off of the streets as possible.

Now, this popular tactic is being applied to automobile theft deterrence measures. Local police agencies are now turning to bait cars which are equipped with hidden cameras, etc., in hopes of being able to catch thieves in the act of a vehicle theft and therefore be able to prosecute them with irrefutable evidence. These tactics, although effective in nabbing thieves in the act, are on the wrong side of the debate about crime prevention. True crime prevention places emphasis on utilizing methods and technology to help prevent the crimes in the first place.

In the area of auto thefts, prevention is spearheaded on two fronts: factory installed equipment by manufacturers, and after-market solutions that seek to accomplish the same goal. These have varying degrees of effectiveness because of the ability of thieves in learning how to bypass the systems and steal what they want anyway.

A third and arguably more effective method is in the use of a GPS car tracker in your vehicle. The benefits outweigh those found in traditional police deterrence and auto theft prevention devices. Here is why:

Locate Now. In the event of a theft of your vehicle, instant tracking can provide the whereabouts of the vehicle for immediate recovery. This is critical since many vehicles that are stolen are sent to a chop shop to be parted out on the black market. The sooner you can deliver location details to the authorities, the better chance you stand of being able to get your car back in one piece.

Lower Insurance Rates. Insurance companies embrace the installation and usage of these systems because they lower the liability if they are stolen. This lowering of liability also lowers your premiums by significant amounts. In reducing rates in this way, you will pay for your GPS Tracking system in just a few weeks of installation and usage.

Real-time Monitoring. What is more valuable than real-time tracking to a vehicle owner? This is especially true when there are multiple drivers in a family. Everyone who is aware of the system feels the ‘look over the shoulder’ as they use the vehicle. There are few better deterrent systems than a constant ‘companion.’

Here is a tip of the hat to our local law enforcement agencies in attempting to prevent or stop would-be auto thieves by using ‘bait car’ tactics. But, here is also to installing car tracking device that can help prevent them in the first place.