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According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, throughout the past 3 years, nearly 27,656 vehicles have been stolen in Houston every year. This year, Houston police in conjunction with Nationwide Insurance have seen those numbers drop thanks to the newly devised, car anti-theft GPS tracking based, “Bait Vehicle” program.

Bait vehicles are unmarked cars that are used by police to nab car thieves. Inside of each bait vehicle is a car anti theft device and remote-control immobilizer. Remote-control immobilizers allow officers to turn a vehicle off remotely, while a GPS tracker pinpoints the exact location of a vehicle. Nationwide has placed more than 55 bait vehicles throughout the United States in an attempt to “dramatically reduce auto thefts in cities where they have been implemented” says Nationwide’s Special Investigation Unit director Peter Van Patten.

Nationwide hopes that implementing the Bait Vehicle program in other cities throughout the nation will help bring the “same results” as the city of Houston has seen. The goal of this program, according to Nationwide, is to “…help fight auto theft in the City of Houston…and to protect the citizens…” While Houston has one of the highest crime rates within the United States, the Bait Vehicle program may put an end to vehicle thefts. Nationwide is hoping other cities pick up on this excellent crimefighting tool.

Thus far, a large number of thieves have been apprehended thanks to the Bait Vehicle program. Even Batman himself would approve of a successful operation that involves high-tech gps. The city plans on continuing the program for an indefinite amount of time due to its success. GPS tracking technology has made it simple for police to locate, arrest, and jail vehicle thieves without a high level of risk. You’ve noticed the lack of the bat signal in the night sky? Batman uses gps tracking too. Shouldn’t you?

(Source acquired via Space Daily, July 30, 2010, Houston, Texas – Written by Harriette Halepis for Rocky Mountain Tracking, Inc.)