Bait cars: Cops employ secret weapon against holiday thieves

CINCINNATI - Your local police department could be using a 'bait car' this holiday season as a tool to catch thieves.

Ohio's Bureau of Criminal Investigation or BCI has equipped several cars with cameras, sensors and alarms in an effort to take down criminals looking to steal your valuables.

"There are people who do that for a living," said Ohio's Attorney General Mike DeWine, "They get up everyday and figure out how to scam us, or cheat us, or steal from us."

DeWine says these crooks will soon be breaking into one of the state's bait cars.

"We're sending them a message this year that car may be the Attorney General's bait car you're breaking into and if it is, we're going to get you," said DeWine.

9 On Your Side and agents with the BCI won't reveal the make or model of the bait cars nor where the cameras are located but even inside the car the cameras are next to impossible to see.

"You won't be able to see them," said Scott Duff a Special Agent Supervisor with the BCI. 

Since the Attorney General's office rolled out the bait cars, police have arrested seven people with their help.

"It was awesome because now it validates what we are doing. It validates our time and our effort and we're going to start ramping this up a little bit," said Duff.

It costs roughly $2,500 to equip a car with the cameras and alarms and the BCI is putting more together to meet the growing demand from local police agencies.

"More and more departments are lining up to use these," said DeWine, "Thieves should be on notice they might be breaking into the Attorney General's bait car and we've got it wired up."