The latest strategy some car thieves are using to steal your car right from your driveway involves a tool that locksmiths have been using for years.
Fairfax County, Virginia, police say they are seeing an uptick in the use of key fob programmers by area car thieves.
According to a release from the Fairfax County Police Department, the Jan. 8 discovery of a stolen Dodge Charger in the Groveton area of Mt. Vernon led to the arrest of two people. Police said a search of the Charger and a car used by the two suspects led them to discovering a key programming tool, key fobs for the Dodge Charger that had been reprogrammed and auto parts that had been taken from the Charger.
Lt. Jonathan Weeks with the Fairfax County Police said the programmer is typically used when you lose a car key fob and need a replacement. A locksmith will come to you with a device that plugs into your car’s on-board computer system.
“They will plug it into your car and then they will program you two new keys,” Weeks said.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau’s website has information on the various methods that thieves are using to steal cars, and states access to programmers used to be difficult “without arousing suspicion,” but that “once acquired, these devices are powerful tools.”
The NICB states that, typically, criminals use them to take newer, in-demand vehicles off car lots after business hours.
Weeks, an assistant commander with the special investigations bureau of the Fairfax County Police, told WTOP that use of the device by thieves — while not “prevalent” — has become more common. And the reason, Weeks said, is simple economics.
“The device used to be astronomical to buy online. The price was very steep,” Weeks said, but now key fob programmers can be bought online for just a few hundred dollars.
While use of the technology may be growing among criminals, Weeks said, the vast majority of cars in Fairfax County — and across the region — are most commonly taken after car owners either leave their car doors unlocked, or leave the car running while warming it up or out on errands.
Weeks said that “the best way to prevent your car from being stolen is locking your car up,” and by making sure you take your keys with you. He also advised drivers not to leave the car running and stepping away from it — even for a moment.
Among the tips for defeating car thieves:
- Install an aftermarket “kill switch,” a hidden device that prevents your car from starting unless the thief is able to locate the switch inside your car, and flips it so that the car can start.
- Get a steering wheel lock. Weeks said, “I’m sure you remember that steering wheel locks that were really prevalent back in the 80s and 90s.” The locks look like a long, heavy rod that attaches to steering wheels and prevents a driver from being able to turn the steering wheel more than a few degrees.
- If you have a late-model car, get to know the tracking system that may be included in the new car’s features. “Whenever you purchase a vehicle, I would … learn about what tracking systems that vehicle may or may not have,” Weeks told WTOP.
- Avoid leaving any personal items in your car.
- Keep windows rolled up completely when parked.
Weeks also said, while none of the measures are foolproof, the layered approach of incorporating a number of anti-theft strategies can make stealing your car more trouble than a thief might want to take on.
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