dumb and dumber: omg this is hilarious!

[HoffaLives]

http://www.baitcar.com/ dumb and dumber video

[sailaway21]

In the US that would probably be considered entrapment!

[sailingdog]

Sway—

Exactly how would that constitute entrapment?? Most definitions of entrapment require law enforcement tempt the defendants into doing something they would not have done without such prompting or encouragement.

A defense to criminal charges alleging that agents of the government induced a person to commit a crime he or she otherwise would not have committed.
courts.delaware.gov/How%20To/court%20proceedings/

In criminal procedures, a complete defense. The defendant must show that officers induced the defendant to commit a crime not contemplated by him, for the purpose of instituting a criminal prosecution against him.
www.utcourts.gov/resources/glossary.htm

a defense that claims the defendant would not have broken the law if not tricked into doing it by law enforcement officials
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

In jurisprudence, entrapment is a legal defense by which a defendant may argue that he or she should not be held criminally liable for actions which broke the law, because he/she was induced (or entrapped) by the police to commit said acts. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entrapment

IIRC, in the US, Bait Cars are legal... and not considered entrapment, since they don't ask the perps to take the car... the perps just take the car. They've got no one to blame but themselves. It doesn't matter if the car is unlocked and the keys are in it... if they get in the car, and drive off.... they're screwed—since AFAIK that's usually grand theft auto... especially since most bait cars are relatively new and fairly nice cars... so they're worth more than enough to change it from plain auto theft.

[erps]

Too bad we don't get to see the conclusion, 600 lbs of cops on each punk while they're crying for their momma.

[rsn48]

Bair cars have been around a long time in Vancouver BC. This video is the most "famous" of them all. Amazingly the kid was caught and has gone straight, doing "promo's" for the program throughout the province:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kegLdHfUsoY

[DJEVANS]

Bait cars are still legal in the U.S.--and as far as entrapment at least in WA state it still stands that the officer has to entice someone into doing something they were not otherwise inclined to do. As I understand it, the law is a lot more officer friendly than it used to be. At least until the 9th Circuit gets a hold of it
The vehicle left running is an interesting problem in WA, though...it is a misdemeanor for the owner to leave a vehicle running unattended but it is a felony if Spanky Dweedermeier, the enterprising criminal mastermind, decides to take it. I don't know if any local agencies are using bait cars and if they do, how they get around the unattended vehicle law.

Just my two cents worth...

[sandsailor]

car thieves are like horse thieves and out here we hang them when we catch them