Bicycle theft was a growing concern across the City of Hastings, Minnesota. To address this problem, the Police Department launched an innovative initiative — the “Bait Bike” program — using 3Si GPS trackers supported by DirectToDispatch™ to monitor potential thieves and enable effective law enforcement responses driven by real-time intelligence.

The following letter presents the program and its results from the perspective of the Chief of the Hastings Police Department.

 

A Letter from Chief of Hastings Police: 3Si Success Story

TO: 3Si Security Systems
FROM: Chief of the Hastings Police Department (Hastings, MN)

“During the summer, an Officer of the Hastings Police Department researched various GPS tracking products in an effort to reduce bicycle thefts within the city. After receiving strong reviews of the 3Si product, the Officer developed a proposal, and the department purchased one tracking unit.

The GPS tracker was installed to protect an electric bike that was generously donated by a local citizen for use in the program. On August 5, 2025, the Officer deployed the bait bike in the historic downtown district. On August 9, 2025, on-duty officers received an activation alert and were able to successfully apprehend the suspect after he placed the stolen bicycle into a truck for transport. The male confessed to the theft, pled guilty in court, and was sentenced to 18 months in prison due to his extensive criminal history.

The bait bike was later redeployed to multiple locations. On November 19, 2025, the department received another activation. Officers tracked the GPS signal and made a second arrest. This individual also had an extensive criminal history and had just left court for a separate theft case. He observed the bait bike outside Walmart, stole a pair of wire cutters from the store, and then stole the bicycle. This case is still pending in court; however, we believe the evidence is strong and are optimistic about a conviction.

The GPS device has functioned reliably and responsively. In a relatively short period, it has directly resulted in two successful arrests. While it is still early to measure the program’s overall impact on bicycle thefts, we are confident that this initiative, supported by 3Si’s DirectToDispatch’s ability to centralize key evidence for safer and more efficient responses, will contribute to a reduction in thefts within our community.”
 
See the letter here.

 

Protect Your Community with 3Si

 

The success of the Hastings “Bait Bike” program highlights the effectiveness of 3Si’s DirectToDispatch™ and GPS tracking technology in preventing theft, supporting law enforcement, and protecting the community. In just a few months, the program directly led to two arrests of individuals with extensive criminal histories, showing the real-world impact of integrating GPS tracking into policing efforts.

If your organization is looking for proven real-time intelligence technologies to to enhance security, prevent theft, and support law enforcement operations, 3Si can provide solutions tailored to your needs.

Contact us here or visit our DirectToDispatch™ (DTD™) page to learn more and see how our solutions can support your community.