Anaheim Police Department officials have issued warnings to the public about high-tech methods thieves are using to steal cars. In many cases, these car thieves have used these methods to take people’s vehicles right from their driveways.
Thanks to new anti-theft technology, in 2024, the number of vehicles stolen in the United States dropped below the one-million mark for the first time since 2021. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reported that fewer than 1 million vehicles were stolen in 2024. The number of car thefts had increased every year from 2020 to 2023.
That trend may be about to change as car thieves catch up to anti-theft technology. NBC Los Angeles News reports that Anaheim police revealed thieves have been using tablets meant for locksmiths and antennas to target higher-end vehicles.
Case in point: a group of car thieves was captured on a surveillance camera in Anaheim Hills. They used these new high-tech methods to steal a truck from the owner’s driveway.
“(He) checks the handle first and sees that it’s locked,” said Heather Scaglione, a detective with the Anaheim Police Department. “Then, he heads over to the back window and then uses a window punch to break it. Once that happens, because there’s tint on the window, it stays intact. He’s able to peel it off the car and climb in.”
Scaglione then explains that the thief “plugs into the computer system in the car so he can quickly re-program it and turn the car on so that he can leave with that truck.”
Anaheim Police Department Sgt. Matt Sutter added that some car thieves are using antennas to target vehicles with keyless entry key fobs.
“They hold an antenna up near the house trying to pick up the signal from your key fob that is inside the house,” Sutter said. “Once they pick up that signal, they send it to somebody standing right by the car, opens the car right up, gets in, presses the start button and off they go.”
Sutter recommends turning off the key fob feature that allows remote access to your car. He says that will lower the risk of your car being stolen. “Where you walk up, pull on the handle, and get in. You can turn that feature off,” he suggested.
Another way to secure your car is to store keys in different places in your home. Purchasing or making a Faraday Bag could also deter thieves. A steering wheel lock is also a good way to protect your vehicle from theft. Parking in a well-lit area also helps prevent car theft.
“Some people like to store their keys next to the front door, maybe hide it or put it some place further deep in the house so that can’t easily pick up the signal with that antenna,” he said.
Doug Sheckler is a Senior Editor at MotorBiscuit and BroBible. He began his professional career working for an auto racing sanctioning body, and subsequently founded his own racing series, which remains in operation today. He has since spent the better part of two decades creating, editing, and writing for a variety of websites.
These days, he has a special affinity for hypercars and other exotic vehicles that he will never own. He also enjoys delving into stories about the world of criminals, the more foolish and/or clever the better, and is always up for a good conspiracy theory. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the University of Iowa.

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