AUSTIN, Texas, July 26 (UPI) -- An Austin, Texas, couple are charged with burglary of a car left on their street by city police as bait for car thieves, one of the suspects said Sunday.
Mark Ledford told the Austin American-Statesman the car was parked near his house in November 2007 and he called police, who told him since it was legally parked there was no problem.
After a few days, he and his then-girlfriend, Asia Ward, looked through the car. He said they were afraid it had been used in a crime and were not trying to take it.
They couldn't open the trunk and tried to pry it open with a screwdriver. Police said the trunk was jammed because that's where the surveillance equipment was.
Neither Ledford nor Ward had a police record before that night. The burglary charge carries a penalty of up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine, police told the American-Statesman.
Ledford's trial is to start Wednesday, his attorney said. Ward's trial day has not been set.
