Bait Bike Nets Habitual Criminals
DAYTONA BEACH -- While a new low-tech crime-fighting tool is easy on the Police Department budget, so far it's been a two-wheel lure that's rounded up a host of jailhouse regulars.
Dolled up with either a woman's purse or a partial six-pack of beer dangling from the handlebars, any bicycle in the Police Department's property room might end up on the street as a bait bike, Chief Mike Chitwood said. In less than a year, the bikes have snared a sexual predator, a prostitute, a drug dealer and scores of career criminals.
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Eighteen people have been arrested trying to steal the bait bikes -- one man was arrested twice in about 60 days on the same block. Michael J. Staub, 27, ...was arrested Nov. 21, 2009, in the 300 block of Madison Avenue and again Jan. 29.
"You'd think he would have learned after the first time," Chitwood said.
But like many before him, Staub couldn't resist the temptress -- a couple of cold ones and an easy get-away (or so he thought) -- and stole the bait bike again. He was sentenced to serve 270 days in county jail beginning Tuesday.
...But police are doing more than curbing bicycle thefts. They're catching people with open warrants and some with drugs in their pockets, Chitwood said.
"Its first time out, it netted three arrests within an hour-and-a-half," said Capt. Steve Szabo, who has overseen the majority of the bait bicycle operations. "We're catching people with substantial criminal histories."
... "We've been a little creative," Chitwood said. "We'll jack it up to the highest gear, so they can't get away. We'll have officers with 'eyes on' and as soon as it goes, we're on 'em."
