TV show's stolen car sting has police fuming

By SCOTT MacLEOD

The makers of the television show Busted are in trouble with the police after a 12-year-old boy stole a car the TV people left in South Auckland to tempt thieves.

Otara police were fuming when they learned that the boy - who is too young to drive legally - stole the car and drove it on public streets.

A police source said film-makers working on a new series of Busted fitted the car with a tracking device, parked it with the keys inside and a window wound down, then waited for it to be stolen.

The source said police received a call from a man who said his car had been stolen and he knew where it had been dumped.

When officers arrived and caught the 12-year-old, a man approached them and said it was a bait car for Busted.

Over-worked Counties Manukau police had already dealt with several stolen cars on Tuesday, the day of the incident. The Herald understands they were extremely angry about the dangers of having a 12-year-old driving and about not being told in advance about the sting.

It was the second time in less than a year that the programme has been in trouble with the police. Last May, they scrapped their involvement when a sting ended in a car chase.

It is understood the police have asked for legal advice on whether Blue Bicycle Flicks, the makers of the TV3 show, can be charged over the latest incident.

One of the firm's three owners, Gary Ryan, said police had been told during a series of meetings that such stings would be taking place.

The car would have been switched off by remote-control if it broke the speed limit.

Mr Ryan said police had asked for tapes of the incident and he understood that criminals were behind what the 12-year-old did.

"I can't understand why the police wouldn't be fully supportive of something like that [entrapment].

"Our activities are no more and no less than anyone else who owns a car. Most cars are stolen with their own keys or a duplicate."

Detective Senior Sergeant Stu Allsopp-Smith, who was head of Auckland's car squad during last May's incident, said leaving a vehicle with a window down and keys inside could entice normally law-abiding people into committing a crime.

Acting Inspector Cornelius Kluessien of Wiri confirmed that a police report on the incident had been sent to the Police Commissioner.

The 12-year-old is too young to be charged.