I've just been watching an American TV prog called "Bait Car". In it the American police quite deliberately fake a scene, (in a notoriously dodgy area), to draw peoples attention to the car in which they leave the keys and door open! The police drive off with their "suspect", an undercover cop, and then watch via covert cameras and visually from a distance.
Sure enough within minutes it's inevitably taken.
My point is this. Surely this is either enticement or entrapment and would this stand up in an English court?
Many thanks.
How much proof would you like? ;-) http://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/local-news/police-booby-trap-cars-to-catch-thieves-in-act-1-1685996 http://www.dorset.police.uk/default.aspx?page=2335 http://www.biggleswadetoday.co.uk/news/local-news/police-traps-will-unnerve-car-thieves-1-3306278...
Watch Caught Red Handed on BBC1, this has been going on for years with the full knowledge and approbation of the legal profession, and as seen in the falling crime rates for this type of offence in these areas IS legal.
Can't be enticement, as the thief has the opportunity to walk past the bait car, and not commit the offence.. and as there is no police involvement at the time of the offence, then entrapment is also not applicable. IMO