Austin Washington’s car keys were at his apartment in the Milwaukee suburb of Shorewood. However, thieves were still able to drive off with his vehicle. They broke into his parked Infiniti car through the sunroof and stole it using a reprogrammed key fob.
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Last month, Washington told WISN 12 News he felt “violated.”
"Somebody was in your car, going through your stuff, stole your car," he said. "I thought I was doing everything right with the information I knew about vehicles. I had no idea about these fob re-programmers."
Fortunately, police found his car dumped a few miles away, but they told the news network such high-tech car theft is on the rise across Milwaukee.
How this type of crime works
Thieves use key fob programmers to get cars to start, and then simply drive away. Milwaukee police told WISN 12 News there have been at least 19 reported cases of car thefts using this method within the first three months of 2025.
Keyless, or re-programmed car keys, is a growing method of car theft. News reports show that police in different parts of the country, like San Fernando Valley or Oakland County, have issued warnings about this problem.
Multiple locksmiths told WISN 12 News that thieves steal key programmers from businesses like theirs in order to steal cars with keyless ignitions.
Itay Rahamim, owner of Milwaukee Automotive Locksmith, showed reporters how the theft works on a Lexus.
Thieves either go through the sunroof, break the window, or find some other way to get inside the vehicle. They then find the vehicle’s on-board diagnostic (OBD) port and plug in the key programmer. It’s typically under the steering wheel, close to the gas and brake pedals.
Once it’s successfully plugged in, the thief can then program a new key to the car.
It was about 40 seconds from the time Rahamim opened the door to the car to when he started it using the reprogrammer.
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What are the most vulnerable cars?
Any car that uses a key fob is susceptible to such theft, but some vehicles are more vulnerable than others.
Nissans and Infinitis are the most targeted, police told WISN 12 News, but they are not exactly sure why.
Rahamim told reporters that 2007 to 2017 models of Honda, Nissan, Infiniti, Dodge, Chrysler, Lexus, and Toyota are more easily stolen
The reason? These cars don’t have a wait time for someone to start the vehicle after they’ve reprogrammed a new key.
Ford and GM vehicles are among those that do not start immediately, and so they are harder to steal, according to him.
How to protect your vehicle
Vehicle thefts nationwide decreased 17% to 850,708 in 2024, dropping below the one million mark for the first time since 2021, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
But owners should still take precautions. In an April Facebook post, Milwaukee Police said it has noticed an increase in motorvehicle thefts and drivers should consider protecting their car by installing a lock over their car’s OBD port.
These types of locks are typically made from a piece of metal or strong plastic that covers the OBD port and makes sure it can only be accessed with a special key.
A wheel lock can also deter thieves.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau recommends taking the “layered approach” to protection and has a list of ways owners can try to prevent car theft..
If you discover your vehicle has been stolen, file a police report right away. Provide as many details as possible like information about your car, where it was parked and when you last saw it.
Call your auto insurance company and report the loss. Insurers should be able to help if you have comprehensive coverage.
Even if your vehicle is recovered, your insurance company may pay to repair it or pay you the actual cash value if it’s been declared a total loss.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
