Car thieves are using tablets and horns to steal vulnerable or “push start” cars, police have warned, but there are steps owners can take to protect their cars.
Recently, a group of masked people gained access to two vehicles sitting in two driveways in two separate homes in the Anaheim Hills and proceeded with them, according to the Anaheim Police Department.
In both cases, the suspected thieves allegedly used electronic devices to target and steal high-end vehicles, said Mark Sutter, a spokesman for the Anaheim Police Department.
Sterter said the department sees a star in these types of new car thefts like the Dodge Challenger or the Ford F-150 Raptor.
It is unclear if the Anaheim Hills Car Thefts are connected and while the Department is still investigating the incidents, no arrests have been made in each case.
Sterter breaks down how both can happen and how you can protect your car.
The tablet is planning the theft of the car’s computer
According to the Police Department surveillance being reviewed by the Department of Human Resources, Sutter said the troopers broke the back window of the white pickup truck and jumped into the vehicle through the window.
The masked people then inserted the tablet into the car’s computer system to hack into the car.
“They retaliate, hit the start button and fire,” Sutter said.
How to protect your car from being reprogrammed
Some traditional ways to secure your car — like parking in a garage — are still reliable, Sutter said.
Another way is to put the Lock Steeling Club of the car wheel.
“Those can be defeated but that would take a lot of time,” Sutter said. “It’s not a computer thing but at least it’s a solid deterrent.”
Access to the FOB Sgnal key is stolen
In the case of the Anaheim Hills incident, one of the vehicles was stolen by thieves who accessed the main FOB signal using an antenna.
Many new cars have a remote entry system where the FOB that emits the fob emits a signal that opens the car door and in some cases starts the car when it is within a certain distance of the driver’s side.
The downside of this feature, says Sutter, is the token is always removed from the key FOB, such as a debit card.
Exploiting that signal, thieves will approach the house with antennas hoping to capture and amplify it so they can open the car.
This method of theft can take less than 60 seconds to do and only works when the car key is close to the car, according to the American Automobile Assn assn.
How to protect your FOB FOB sign
It’s not unusual for car owners to leave their key fobs near the front or back doors, on the cheekbones or in containers where they can catch them when they get home. But these places also make it easy for thieves to get close and use the antennae to capture the signal from outside the door. Experts suggest keeping key fobs near the center of the home so the signal is harder to pick up.
You can also weaken the signal by buying a signal blocking bag or box to leave the key fob in.
If you want to stop FOB Signal entirely, you can turn off the feature, Sutter said. Check your car’s manual and follow the instructions to turn off the “remote control feature.”
