B.C. government announces strategy to mitigate auto theft during Olympic Games

British Columbia plans to reduce the risk of auto theft during the Olympic Games by ‘flooding’ venue and public transit parking lots with bait cars.
The initiative is part of the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT)’s strategy during the Winter Games.
Other key components include:
•    Planting bait cars with property — cameras and laptops, for example — marked with brand new MicroDot DNA technology. This new tool will enable police to easily identify stolen items and provide indisputable evidence in court.
•    Monitoring of auto crime throughout the Games with surveillance conducted as needed. The team will be intelligence-led, as crime analysts will identify where the problems are on a daily basis.
•    Deploying undercover cars equipped with ‘automatic licence plate recognition technology’ that can scan up to 600 plates an hour to locate stolen vehicles.
ICBC statistics show 2,000 fewer vehicle thefts in 2009 — a 15% reduction from the 13,000 reported in 2008.
In addition, 4,000 fewer thefts from vehicles in 2009 represent a 15% decrease from the 23,000 reported in 2008.
Overall, auto crimes are down by more than half since 2003.