A bait car program designed to catch car thieves is now being used to nab petty robbers and drug addicts, Vancouver police say.

Police have planted bait cars, wired with hidden cameras, to attract thieves. Laptops, cigarettes and cellphones sit in plain view to attract crooks, says Det. David Bruce-Thomas.

"From my experience, about 95 per cent of the people doing theft from autos are doing theft from autos because of their addiction to one form of substance or another," he told CBC News Marketplace.

Vancouver police say the number of stolen cars has dropped by 40 per cent from two years ago, thanks in large part to the bait car program.

Bait cars are specially equipped so that officers can pinpoint their location and kill the engine via remote control. The vehicles also have video cameras that are activated when a door is opened, providing important courtroom evidence.

Bruce-Thomas says the number of car break-ins has already started to drop, but notes police are still waiting to evaluate the pilot project.

Gail Mandla, a Vancouver mechanic, says fragile door handles and locks are part of the problem. He says he is constantly buying replacement parts for customers who have been robbed.

Vancouver police received about 15,000 reports of car break-ins last year.