Metro is cracking down on iThefts, trying to stop thieves from snatching riders’ pricey electronic devices this holiday season, when the crimes typically spike. The transit agency is using new public address announcements and ads in the rail system to warn riders of how easy it is for someone to steal that shiny new iPhone 4S. It has been cracking down on the people who fence the stolen gadgets. And now it has gone undercover to lure would-be thieves into robbing the wrong riders.

“Snatching is a crime of opportunity,” Metro Transit Police Deputy Chief Ron Pavlik explained. And Metro is giving crooks the opportunity to get caught.