Metro: Bait bike used to nab teen thief

<br/><small><a href=”http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=embed&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;q=Prince+George%E2%80%99s+Plaza+metro+station,+maryland&amp;aq=&amp;sll=37.0625,-95.677068&amp;sspn=39.371738,57.392578&amp;vpsrc=0&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;hq=&amp;hnear=Prince+Georges+Plaza+Metro+Station&amp;t=m&amp;ll=38.965282,-76.955967&amp;spn=0.013347,0.01708&amp;z=14&amp;iwloc=A” style=”color:#0000FF;text-align:left”>View Larger Map</a></small></div> <p>Metro cops say they busted a bike thief in the act Tuesday night, nabbing a 15-year-old boy who stole a “decoy” bicycle at Prince George’s Plaza station.</p> <p>The bike, of course, was real, not a plastic decoy like those used in duck hunting. But the bike belonged to Metro Transit Police and was parked at the Green Line station as bait for would-be thieves. Then plainclothes officers sat and watched until the teen came along, according to Metro. </p> <p>The special “crime suppression” team is working to stop thefts of bikes and electronic devices before they happen, trying to lure thieves to them.</p> <p>Bike thefts have been a <a href=”https://wexwpdev.washingtonexaminer.com/local/dc/2011/02/crime-surges-metro-system” target=”_blank”>recent problem</a> for the agency. Last year 280 bikes were reported stolen at the agency, compared with 207 in 2009. The agency has also been <a href=”https://wexwpdev.washingtonexaminer.com/local/dc/2011/09/metro-removing-abandoned-bikes-rail-stations” target=”_blank”>targeting abandoned bikes at stations</a>, in an attempt to reduce the thefts.</p> <p> </p>