Car thieves are using tablets and antennas to steal keyless or \u201cpush to start\u201d vehicles, police warn, but there are steps owners can take to protect their vehicles. <\/p>\n
Recently, a group of masked individuals forcibly gained access into two vehicles sitting in the driveways of two separate Anaheim Hills homes and drove off with them, according to the Anaheim Police Department. <\/p>\n
In both of the thefts the alleged thieves used electronic tools to target and steal higher-end cars, said Mark Sutter, spokesperson for the Anaheim Police Department. <\/p>\n
Sutter said the department is seeing a trend in these types of thefts that target newer vehicles like a Dodge Challenger or Ford F-150 Raptor \u2014 vehicles that have a supercharge feature, a function that forces more air into the engine, which generates more power. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s unclear if the Anaheim Hills car thefts are connected and while the department is still investigating the incidents, no arrests have been made for either case. <\/p>\n
Sutter broke down how both thefts occurred and how you can protect your vehicle. <\/p>\n
Tablet reprograms car computer theft<\/p>\n
Through home surveillance footage reviewed by the police department, Sutter said the burglars broke the back window of a white truck and jumped into the car through the window. <\/p>\n
The masked individuals then hooked up a tablet to the car\u2019s computer system to hack into the car. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey reprogram it, hit the start button and drove away,\u201d Sutter said. <\/p>\n
How do protect your vehicle from being reprogrammed<\/p>\n
Some traditional methods to protecting your vehicle \u2014 like parking it in a garage \u2014 are still reliable, Sutter said. <\/p>\n
Another approach is putting a lock steering club on the steering wheel of the vehicle. <\/p>\n
\u201cThose can be defeated but that can take a lot of time,\u201d Sutter said.\u201dIt\u2019s not foolproof but at least it\u2019s a strong deterrent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Accessing key fob signal theft<\/p>\n
In the Anaheim Hills incidents, one of the vehicles was stolen by thieves accessing the key fob signal through an antenna. <\/p>\n
Many newer vehicles have a remote keyless entry system where a key fob emits a signal that unlocks the car door and in some cases starts the car when it\u2019s within a certain distance of the driver\u2019s side.<\/p>\n
The downside of this feature, Sutter said, is a signal is constantly being emitted from the key fob, similar to a debit card.<\/p>\n
To exploit that signal, thieves will get close to the house with an antennae in hopes of capturing and amplifying it so they can unlock the vehicle.<\/p>\n