"Puzzled by the apparent indifference of the police and worried that the car might be a crime scene, Ledford and his girlfriend decided to examine the vehicle in the hope of learning the identity of its owner. They noticed odd things, such as broken glass, a pair of men’s work boots, a length of rope, and a bikini top in the back seat; this made them wonder if the car belonged to a serial killer.

Practically the instant that the couple approached the abandoned vehicle, a police cruiser sped to the scene and Ledford and Ward were arrested. At the station they waived their right to counsel and tried to explain their concerns to the on-scene investigator, who released them immediately.

Howeve...

"Puzzled by the apparent indifference of the police and worried that the car might be a crime scene, Ledford and his girlfriend decided to examine the vehicle in the hope of learning the identity of its owner. They noticed odd things, such as broken glass, a pair of men’s work boots, a length of rope, and a bikini top in the back seat; this made them wonder if the car belonged to a serial killer.

Practically the instant that the couple approached the abandoned vehicle, a police cruiser sped to the scene and Ledford and Ward were arrested. At the station they waived their right to counsel and tried to explain their concerns to the on-scene investigator, who released them immediately.

However, a few days later the couple was served with an arrest warrant signed by the same investigator, who accused them of burglary.

The county prosecutor offered the couple a deferred prosecution if they signed a confession; to their credit, Ledford and Ward — who face a year in jail and a $4,000 fine for committing no crime — gave the prosecutor anatomically detailed instructions regarding the proper disposal of that offer.

According to the police agency that afflicts the City of Austin, the “bait car” scheme produced 70 warrants or arrests in 2008 and 13 so far this year. The department refused to specify how many convictions resulted, and refused to provide a break-down of the charges.

As noted above, “bait car” traps have been laid by police all over the country. Police also use variants of this idea: A few years ago the NYPD, apparently having nothing better to do, enjoyed considerable success in a similar snare involving a “lost” wallet."