Taking The Bait

Just when you think all is wrong in the world - violent conflicts, biblical weather patterns, civil unrest, and the Padres just keep on sucking -- but then, a story comes along that puts a big smile on your face.  For me, that story came today when I learned on eCoronado.com (http://www.ecoronado.com/m/blogpost?id=2019736%3ABlogPost%3A323980) that Coronado's "bait-bike" program had nabbed four bike thieves.

What is a "bait-bike" you ask?  Well, I'll tell you -- it's a bike planted by the police department with a hidden GPS tracking device inside it.  When the thieves head off with the bike, the cops are alerted and can catch the culprits within minutes of their heinous, callous act.

How great is that?  Bike thieves have operated with near impunity on Coronado since I first arrived here in 2001.  Such a difficult crime to investigate.  This technology may, finally , turn the tide.

In this case, the police caught four people in a truck in possession of one of the bike they had planted.  I just hope that they used an expensive road bike so that these low-lives can be charged witj a felony.  

Even better is that the PD named the dirt-bags:

1- Nicholas Donahue (03/02/1980)
2-Martha Donahue aka Tracy Kern (06/02/1978)
3- Matthew Ward (05/12/1982)
4- Judith Johnson (08/30/1959)

I just wish that they did what they do in San Francisco and posted their pics as well -- these fools deserve public shaming and we deserve to know who the thieves are in our midst.

The next step in our technological battle with bike thieves will have to be private citizens installing GPS trackers on their own bikes.  Looks like there are a few already on the market, but I haven't found any reviews yet as to which are the best.  There are few things more frustrating than having a bike stolen (as I know, all too well from personal experience -- but, I can hardly imagine anything more satsifying than being around as the cops cuff the perp who rode off with my bike.  Oh, if only!  I'd almost be tempted to leave it unlocked just for the chance at such pure joy.

So low-life thieves, which one of these is the bait-bike?  Hmm, I wonder.  Feeling lucky, punk?