The reason "Bait Car"bothers me so much more than other shows, is the simple factor of intent. With prostitution stings, the intent to pay for a prostitute is there, or with "To Catch A Predator" the men show intent by talking to the girls, and driving to the house. With "Bait Car" it simply seems like waving candy in front of a kid. Most of these people go in without intent to steal a car, but given their socioeconomic standing, a chance to make a lot of money fast is almost irresistible.
The set up to this show is simple: put an unlocked car, with exposed keys, in a slightly hidden public area, and wait for someone to attempt to steal it. The car has a lot of surveillance and has security measures to make sure there is no way for a suspect to escape.
There is something severely wrong with this set up. It seems to me it's giving people the option of becoming criminals, as opposed to exposing intent to commit a crime. At that point we are exploiting human weakness, instead of exposing criminals. I could easily describe this show as entrapment, but maybe you have your own opinion. Leave your comments below, I want to know what you have to say.
