Video captures Glendale man stealing police BAIT car

GLENDALE, AZ - A Glendale man is behind bars after he was caught allegedly stealing a police BAIT car.

Surveillance video in the car reportedly captured Christopher Garcia on Sunday breaking into the vehicle.

Garcia is apparently seen rummaging through the backseat of the car. Within no time, you see him jump into the driver’s seat and start the car.

But within minutes, police pull him over and he’s taken into custody.

The department uses BAIT cars in areas where it has seen an increase of car break-ins.

In the case of Garcia, the undercover car was parked at 55th Avenue and Camelback Road.

“Business areas are areas where you see a lot of stolen vehicles, so our criminals aren’t seen doing what they are doing,” said Officer Tracey Breeden with the Glendale Police Department.

The BAIT car is equipped with audio and video surveillance. It also has a tracking device that will notify officers of the location of the car if it's stolen.

The BAIT car isn’t just useful in catching criminals in the act. Many of the suspects they catch are linked to other car break-ins or other crimes that are being investigated.