Politics & Government

Boston Police Using Honda Civic as 'Bait' for Thieves

The donated vehicle will be used by detectives to catch car thieves.

Apparently, catching car thieves and fishing are more similar than you think. 

Thanks to a donation to the Boston Police Department, detectives will now be using a special kind of "bait"—a 2000 Honda Civic—to catch car thieves in the city. 

The choice of a 2000 Honda Civic was deliberate, as this vehicle type is listed as the most stolen car in Massachusetts. In Boston in 2012, 1,575 cars were reported stolen, according to the Boston Police Department, with 40 thefts reported in Charlestown's A-15 district. 

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The car was a donation from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which lists the 1998 Honda Civic as the most stolen vehicle in Massachusetts, according to the most recent statistics.

"The 2000 Honda Civic is used as bait for car thieves," said Boston District 8 City Councilor Mike Ross, chairman of the Committee on Public Safety. "[This was provided by] a grant written by one of our industrious police lieutenants to go after car thieves as we continue to have problems [with car thieves] in this city."

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Police have not released where and when the car will be used.


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