St. Paul police are asking for the public’s help to identify a male who stole items from a “bait car” this week. They released surveillance photos of the suspect Friday.

The GPS device, laptop, camera and watch that were stolen from the car are “bait items,” which police put out to try to catch potential thieves, said Sgt. Paul Paulos, a St. Paul police spokesman.

A male went into the unlocked “bait car” and stole the items, Paulos said.

It happened on Tuesday at about 4 p.m. on Avon Street, near Lincoln Avenue. The male also tried to steal the car, but wasn’t able to because police remotely deactivated it, Paulos said.

Police responded to the area, and the suspect was gone, Paulos said.

The “bait car” has surveillance equipment and the photos of the suspect come from inside the car.

Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call 651-266-5574.

Mara H. Gottfried can be reached at 651-228-5262. Follow her at twitter.com/MaraGottfried.