Chicago officials apologise for ‘bait truck’ filled with expensive Nikes after video emerges online

'I think this is bogus and y'all shouldn't be entrapping black people, that's all', one member of the community tells police in a video

Officials have apologised after video footage of a so-called “bait truck” in Chicago went viral, drawing the ire of community members and civil rights groups.

The bait truck was left in the Chicago neighbourhood Englewood, and attracted would-be thieves with expensive Nike shoes stocked in the back of the vehicle.

The bait was planted as a part of a joint surveillance operation between the Chicago Police Department and Norfolk Southern Railway. Chicago police have said that they did not participate in the planning for the truck, but did assist with arrests when asked.

“We sincerely regret that our actions caused further unease, and we don’t plan to use this method in the future,” Herbert Smith, a manager of community and legislative relations for the railway, told the Chicago Tribune in a letter.

Mr Smith added, beyond the apology, that the railway had seen ongoing theft of parked containers – including theft of guns and ammunitions – and those thefts have brought dangerous merchandise into the community.

“At the time, local residents and officials told us we needed to do more to prevent this, and we have responded,” Mr Smith wrote.

“Norfolk Southern, in coordination with local, state and federal officials, employs a wide range of preventative and surveillance methods (seen and unseen) to deter crime. We regularly change and improve enforcement tools, but unfortunately thefts continue.”

The video appears to show Chicago police arresting a man for allegedly breaking into the bait truck, and was filmed by a community activist.

Residents of the area have argued they are being set up for failure and arrest. Another video shows a member of the community confronting the officers for the truck.

"Y'all baiting our young kids here, man," one man tells police.

"I think this is bogus and y'all shouldn't be entrapping black people, that's all," another man says.

Three people were reportedly arrested during the sting – though felony charges against those individuals have since been dropped. One individual still faces misdemeanour charges related to their arrest.

Civil rights activists have said that, in spite of the monetary concerns related to theft, setting up bait trucks is a form of entrapment.

“Police in Chicago must focus on building trust and better relationships within the communities they serve, not engage in stunts like bait trucks,” Karen Sheley, the director of the police practices project for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, said.

Chicago mayoral candidate Lori Lightfoot, who is also a former head of the Chicago Police board, also criticised the practice saying it was “an appalling display of misplaced priorities and a step backwards on the path to trust and legitimacy”.