You’ve Bait Vehicles on TV — Have You Seen Them Around Town?

I was just reading a press release from the Grand Junction Police Department about the arrests they've made after their "bait" vehicle was stolen twice!

I still like to think Grand Junction is a small town, but whenever I find out something like this I'm reminded that we're getting bigger all the time.

For instance did you know we have an Auto Theft Task Force? Yup WCATT made three arrests last week alone!

The first was September 9th when the “bait” vehicle parked near 30 ½ Rd and I70-B started moving. Officers were able to track it to the 600 block of 33 Rd. where someone had parked it in front of a residence. Apparently the man who lived there, 45-year-old Kevin Butler, had stolen it and decided to take it back to his house.

The 2nd arrest occurred on September 12th after officers received an alert that the "bait" vehicle was in motion. This time the vehicle had been parked near N. Westgate Dr. and Weslo Ave. But within seconds of notifying officers of the vehicle’s whereabouts, the driver made an abrupt turn, and officers found it abandoned in the middle of the road with the suspects gone.

Normally that would be the end of that but not for our WCATT Investigators!

They were actually able to obtain surveillance photos from the vehicle as it was being stolen, including pictures of the truck driven by the suspects, and the suspects themselves!

The WCATT reports that it only takes an average of 47 seconds to steal a car and recommends that you keep your vehicles locked with the windows rolled up when you are not in it.