An Action News Jax investigation revealed how thieves are breaking into cars using makeshift key fobs.
After seeing our story Monday night, a local woman says she thinks that's exactly how someone stole her SUV right out of her driveway.
Stacey Frank woke up to walk her dog and to her surprise, her car was no longer in her driveway.
She said she didn’t know how this could happen since she always locks her doors and she had her keys in her bedroom.
“It was very quiet, not a sound, the dog didn’t bark, nothing, no glass,” Frank said.
Frank got her SUV back two days later and there was no sign of forced entry or that it had been hot wired to get it started.
She believes her car was stolen by thieves hacking the radio signals that get sent to her car with keyless entry.
“A key fob like this emits a small radio signal all the time and I didn’t realize that and there’s a device that can be bought that amplifies that,” Frank said.
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Action News Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson said this is a new wave of thievery and law enforcement in the area has to play catch up.
“It’s very difficult to prove that a person used a fob unless you catch them on surveillance video or catch them in the act,” Jefferson said.
Frank ordered a key fob pouch online to help prevent her from falling victim to this crime again.
“There’s metal in there and apparently the signal from your key cannot get through metal,” Frank said.
Frank said she bought the pouch because her car manufacturer said her keyless entry key fob always emits radio signals.
Jefferson said while it’s good there is something out there to buy, law enforcement agencies have yet to come up with a way to combat this new type of crime.
Cox Media Group
