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Thieves stole more vehicles in 2018 than they had in any single year since 2009 — and the biggest reason might have nothing to do with criminals being cunning.
A combination of new technology and careless drivers spells opportunity for many criminals. And with the average price of vehicles climbing, there's added incentive as well.
With the proliferation of push-start buttons that can be activated as long as the key fob is inside the vehicle, it's easier than ever to drive off with someone else's car.
All thieves need to do is find a car where someone left the key inside, push the start button and hit the gas.
Wow, you have to be really clueless to leave a key fob inside a car.
Not really. If you leave it in a jacket pocket or a briefcase or something you might not necessarily take with you, it's easy to get out, hit the lock button and walk away.
Not really different from thieves going along looking for unlocked cars. There will always be a percentage.
I wonder how long it’s going to take someone on here complain saying the automakers should do something about it. Instead of people taking responsibility for their own actions.
I wonder how long it’s going to take someone on here complain saying the automakers should do something about it. Instead of people taking responsibility for their own actions.
It's simple enough to make the system remind the owner a fob is inside the car, such as by not allowing door locking or a warning beep. My 2003 Mercedes had both. If there's any fob-keyed car that is completely passive about this security issue, yes, it is a manufacturer deficit.
Not really. If you leave it in a jacket pocket or a briefcase or something you might not necessarily take with you, it's easy to get out, hit the lock button and walk away
I’ve never done it. Like your wallet and house keys, your key fob should never leave your side once you get out the car. Certainly not long enough for a thief to steal your car.
It's simple enough to make the system remind the owner a fob is inside the car, such as by not allowing door locking or a warning beep. My 2003 Mercedes had both. If there's any fob-keyed car that is completely passive about this security issue, yes, it is a manufacturer deficit.
All my vehicles with push button start would not lock while the key fob was still in the vehicle. all cars do that with push button start so it’s the drivers who are just walking away and not taking the key fob with them. So the vehicle is doing what it’s suppose to not lock while key fob is still in the vehicle. The only time it beeps is if you have the key fob and walk away from a running vehicle not when the vehicle is off.
Wow, you have to be really clueless to leave a key fob inside a car.
You'd be amazed at how many people leave their keys in unlocked cars. Or not.
There are so many that there is no need for car car thief to break into a car. All they have to do is open the door and drive away.
There was this one guy that was so damn dumb that he went on the local news, crying that someone stole his car.
He had left his his keys and his wallet in his unlocked car while he was at a pizza place.
The thieves stole the car, drove to his house and stole a bunch of his stuff, Oh yeah... they also stole his other car.
I did not feel very sorry for this goof.
It's been all over the news that miscreants have been going around stealing unlocked cars that people left the keys in.
Plus, who goes on the news and tells everyone that he's a blithering idiot??
I’ve never done it. Like your wallet and house keys, your key fob should never leave your side once you get out the car. Certainly not long enough for a thief to steal your car.
I don't see why a fob would ever leave your pocket. I had any number of issues with the '03, but I never failed to feel a childish delight at being able to open the door and start the car just because I had a magic rock in my pocket.
But people will carry it in a purse, jacket pocket, gym bag, whatever - or drop it in a cupholder - and there you go. No different from simply leaving the keys in, which is a problem that's never been fully cured either.
I did this once after having a push button car for about a year. Normally my keys never leave my pocket but I was with a friend and had to get out for about half a minute, wasn't gonna turn the car off just for that. If I take my keys out with me and the car is running, the car will beep. At the time, I thought it might turn off or something so I left my keys with my friend who just put them in the cupholder. A little while later we make it to our destination, I turn the car off and get out. My car auto-locks when I walk away so I don't even need to do anything with the fob. As I walking out, I realized I never heard the car lock, and then realized I had left the keys inside the whole time. Fortunately I live in a very safe area and my car was still there unharmed.
I haven't done it since. Partly because I realized that other than a bunch of beeps when I exit the car with it still on (presumably to remind someone to turn the car off), nothing actually happens. It might shut off eventually, but in these situations it's just momentarily anyway.
on our local news websites, car theft victims sometime give interviews. this response is common :"i left my car unlocked
so they wouldn't break the windows." well, and then there is my Grandmother who never took her key out of the ignition.
ever. i guess she was right (or no one wanted hers), since she had no problems. personally, i worried that a child would
get in and "play" driving which i did with my father's truck.
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