COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Car thieves are now using new technology to steal vehicles without breaking windows or using keys, according to local police and car experts.
“We’ve seen thanks to technology, it’s a little easier for car thieves to find a way to get into any kind of car model,” said Hilliard Police Lt. Tyler Harris.
Atiba Jones, a victim of car theft last fall, described the state of his stolen Dodge RTS Scat Pack, which was recovered filled with garbage and drug paraphernalia.
“God, they trashed it, all over the seats and floor,” said Jones. Despite the damage, he expressed relief at having his car back.
“I am real happy to have it back, but they got real comfortable for it to be a stolen car, they were driving it like it was theirs.” – Atiba Jones
Jones explained that his key fob was with him when thieves digitally cloned it by plugging it into his dashboard. “That’s the crazy part, with all the technology, we think we got a better situation where we can keep stuff safe,” he said. “I guess crime always figures a way out.”
On Your Side, ABC 6 News uncovering how thieves are able to steal cars through keyless entry by capturing a key fob’s signal using a device that resembles a TV antenna.
The signal is then relayed to an accomplice who clones the key fob code to unlock and drive away the car, according to police and car experts.
In January, Hilliard Police arrested four suspected car thieves, including three teenagers, during a routine traffic stop.
“There is a possibility if we had not made that traffic stop, they would’ve been able to get a hold of some cars that night,” said Lt. Harris.
The suspects were found with guns, blank digital key fobs, and a scanner to diagnose car codes.
ABC 6 News reached out to Columbus police to learn how many of these keyless entry car thefts they’ve investigated. But CPD says they do not track those specific statistics.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau tells us it’s working with law enforcement and government agencies to combat this new phenomenon of key theft programming.
Jayson Cook, with Columbus Car Audio & Accessories, advised that “anything that’s a push-button start” is vulnerable. Cook recommended using a radio frequency blocking box to prevent the fob’s signal from transmitting.
Cook explained that the security system alerts owners about a car’s status.
“They are going to give alerts when you lock and unlock, remote start, or if your security system is triggered,” he said. Police also suggest using steering wheel locks to deter thieves.
Lt. Harris noted that technology can also aid in crime prevention. “There’s a lot of different things where you can GPS your cars that way, if it gets stolen you are able to give us real-time information where that car is,” he said.
Jones plans to implement these crime-fighting steps if he ever drives his car again.
“I know the car will be repaired and put back together, it’s what I do from here,” he said. “I am still going to have to deal with damage.”
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