DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — The Dayton Police Department has been working for months to find solutions to the surge in stolen vehicles.
Now, they are unveiling a new program aimed at protecting your vehicles while better targeting the thieves who try to steal them.
Dayton police are calling this program the B.A.T., which stands for the Beat Auto Theft program.
You can voluntarily sign up through the city’s website, filling out a consent form in order for police to properly conduct an investigation if needed.
“We gave people the option to have their car processed by an evidence technician because that’s something we are required to do as for consent,” Lt. Randy Beane of the Dayton Police Department said. “It’s a person car, so anything we take from the car evidence included, we need their consent.”
Once you sign up, you will receive a sticker that police say sends a clear message to would-be thieves.
“When they go to break out a window or look into the car to see if the car is unlocked, we hope that they will see the sticker and see that the car can be tracked by the police and decide that they don’t want to steal this car and go in a different direction,” Lt. Beane said.
The program is for vehicles with GPS tracking capabilities. If you are unsure whether your vehicle qualifies, you can check with your vehicle manufacturer.
