[Ebbc-Talk] Bike theft decreased by 67 percent : The cardboard cutout cop — there’s psychology t here! Boston Globe August 10, 2013

Bike theft decreased by 67 percent.


http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2013/08/10/the-cardboard-cut=
out-cop-there-psychology-there/bTt4KdarzKwSetzTgD6VKK/story.html

It was the unlikely solution to bike theft, first reported this week by the=
 Metro and soon making headlines around the country: MBTA Transit Police cr=
eated two life-sized cardboard cutouts of a real-life police officer, then =
placed them inside two busy bike rack cages at Alewife Station.

Bike theft decreased by 67 percent.

The cardboard cutout =93scare-cops=94 may soon appear at other stations, MB=
TA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said. As a deterrent to would-be thieves, it=92s =
far cheaper than the overtime costs of posting an officer at the Alewife bi=
cycle cages around-the-clock.

But one big question remains: Why does it work?

Transit Police Deputy Chief Robert Lenehan had a guess: =93I think it=92s o=
ur inner conscience. Even though they know that it=92s not a real cop, ther=
e is some psychology at work,=94 he told the Metro.

It turns out, he=92s exactly right. Full story for BostonGlobe.com subscrib=
ers.


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