Police bait car leads to arrest of teens

COLUMBIA — Three teenage males were taken into custody early Friday morning on charges of tampering with a police bait car in the area of Providence Road and Wilkes Boulevard, according to a Columbia police news release.

The police had deployed the bait car Thursday in response to numerous recent auto thefts in north central Columbia. The police are looking into a connection between this incident and previous thefts but have no further information now, said Columbia police Sgt. Ken Hammond.

The police received notification of the bait car alarm at 3 a.m., and the teens were taken into custody shortly thereafter, the release said.

Three of the suspects were charged with juvenile delinquency and tampering. Another teen was taken into custody on unrelated charges of juvenile delinquency and possession of alcohol by a minor, the release said.

Sgt. Hammond said the suspects' names could not be released because they are juveniles.