Thieves Have A New Way To Steal Your Car Right From Your Driveway

Modern anti-theft features, particularly from Kia and Hyundai, the oft-targeted brands due to security flaws, and shrinking margins for car theft have led to the sharpest decline in auto thefts in four decades, according to the Insurance Information Institute. In 2024, the number of vehicles stolen in the U.S. dropped below one million for the first time in three years, and that number represented a drop of more than 16% from the year prior. This is great news, especially for Americans that don't have a secure place to park their vehicles at home, such as a garage or parking garage. For lawbreakers, however, new anti-theft technology has forced them to go high-tech as well.

The days of a simple smash and grab are gone, at least for thieves targeting modern cars. NBC4 Southern California reported in November 2025 that law enforcement officials in Anaheim are warning local residents about criminals that are using new tech to break into vehicles. Forget slim jims and hot wiring, these modern criminals are using locksmith tablets and antennas to get into cars, and they're targeting vehicles in homeowner's driveways.

In layman's terms, locksmith tablets are portable tablet devices that allow locksmiths and other automotive professionals to program a vehicle's immobilizer system and make a new key. They're intended to help you get back into your car if you lose your keys, but thieves are instead using them to disable security and make off with the vehicle of their choice.

Simple break-ins may be a thing of the past, but according to police officials in Anaheim, these high-tech robberies still require some window breaking. In the Anaheim Hills community, a group of thieves broke the back window of a truck after finding the doors locked. One individual climbed inside, and another handed them the locksmith tablet, which was then plugged into the car's computer system to bypass the immobilizer and reprogram the vehicle. After that, they simply drove away.

Ne'er do wells in California are also using antennas to break into cars, and any vehicle that has a keyless entry fob could be susceptible. It's a fairly simple tactic — thieves hold an antenna near your house to pick up the signal that your key fob emits. If they can pick up that signal, they can send it to someone that is in close proximity to your car, and they are able to unlock it, press the ignition button, and leave with your vehicle.

There are a few steps you can take if you're worried about criminals using these tactics in your neighborhood. Turn off the feature on your fob that allows remote access to your vehicle, or store your cars in an inside room of your home so that thieves can't use the antenna trick. To keep your car safe from the locksmith tablet trick, deploy an old-school technique and invest in a steering wheel lock. It's also wise to park in well-lit areas, and if your vehicle has it, be sure to enable GPS tracking.