It's a tactic the New York Police Department has used for years: leaving cars and bags loaded with valuables in plain sight to see if anyone takes the bait. Those who leave without trying to turn in the valuables are arrested.
A judge's strong words in a ruling this year throwing out one such case has drawn renewed attention to the practice.
Police took Deirdre Myers and her teen daughter into custody in the Bronx in 2010 during what's known as a "bait car'' operation. It involved leaving a wad of cash in an unattended car and seeing if thieves would take advantage.
The judge found there was no proof Myers ever tried to steal anything and said she was the victim of a misguided prosecution.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
