Added on January 23, 2019  The News Wheel   , , , , ,
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Auto Theft Reaches High Number in 2017 Thanks to Key Fob Carelessness

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2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 key fob

Driver carelessness is making it easier for car thieves to do their jobs.

According to Nathan Borney, business reporter for USA TODAY, the popular and prevalent technology of push-button start plus drivers’ decision to leave their key fobs inside their cars has helped to create a sitting duck (car) situation that auto thieves can’t resist.

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“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,” Borney reports. “All thieves need to do is find a car where someone left the key inside, push the start button and hit the gas.”

This leaving-the-key-fob-inside-the-car habit has helped the number of auto thefts to hit an eight-year high, according to Borney.

In 2017 car thefts across the country equaled 773,139, which is a 0.8 percent increase over 2016 numbers and a 10.4 percent jump over 2013 data, according to statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“Nearly $6 billion was lost nationwide to motor vehicle thefts in 2017. The average dollar loss per stolen vehicle was $7,708,” according to the FBI reports.

Another reason compounding the focused efforts of auto thieves is that vehicle prices are rising, reports Borney.

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Even if you don’t leave your key fob in your car, you’re still at risk of a thief driving off in your ride, especially if your keys are left out in the open or lifted from your bag.

“Thieves can use key fobs dropped in a public place to find a vehicle by remotely activating its horn with a tap of a button,” according to Borney.

News Source: USA TODAY, Federal Bureau of Investigation