Not only did a recent "bait bike" operation in Palm Springs result in two arrests on felony theft charges, it has also been deemed successful enough to launch similar operations; the Palm Springs Police Department (PSPD) reports.
"Based on the success of the operation, the downtown enforcement team will be conducting regular operations involving GPS-equipped property in order to arrest those responsible for ongoing theft and to curb future theft throughout the city," PSPD said on Facebook recently. A GPS or global positioning system uses satellite technology to track the whereabouts of items such as the bicycles in this operation.
To catch two alleged thieves in the act, the downtown enforcement team placed a GPS-equipped bike in multiple locations across the downtown area on Monday, Oct. 17; PSPD said. The bike was locked at each location, which meant that suspects had to use tools to break or pick the lock.
During Operation "Bait Bike," two individuals at two different downtown locations stole the bike and were later tracked down via GPS from the bicycle; police said. One of the suspects was 31-year-old Ryan Taylor Jones of Palm Springs, who now faces a felony grand theft charge as well as three misdemeanor possession charges. Police identified the other suspect as 38-year-old Andres Martinez of Palm Springs, who was arrested on a felony grand theft charge. Both men were booked into the Riverside County Detention Center.