Auto thefts are on the rise in the U.S. In 2022, car thefts passed the one million mark for the first time since 2008 per National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). This is an increase of 7% over the previous year. The estimated value of these stolen vehicles is $8.9 billion.
Data from NICB’s Hot Spots indicate that in 2020, there were 880,595 car thefts. This equates to a vehicle being stolen every 36 seconds. With the number reaching 1 million, a car theft happens every 31 seconds. This is the equivalent of 116 vehicle thefts each day.
House Grail Car Theft Statistics reveals statistics from FBI Crime Data Explorer. The data indicates that 40% of vehicle thefts happen at a residence and 22% take place in a parking lot or garage. This affects businesses including multifamily residential properties.
The bad news is that the number of car thefts is most likely higher. This is due to how law enforcement agencies define car thefts and carjacking. The inconsistencies in reporting are a serious problem.
“We are seeing vehicle theft numbers that we haven’t seen in nearly 15 years, and there is very little deterrent to stop criminals from committing these acts as they are just property crimes, like shoplifting,” said David J. Glawe, President and CEO of the National Insurance Crime Bureau. “We must reinvest in local law enforcement, provide the necessary resources for prosecution and community policing programs, and implement early intervention programs given the high incidence of juvenile offenders involved in vehicle thefts.”
Social media isn’t helping. Platforms like TikTok and YouTube have videos showing viewers how to hijack cars. Before discussing how your business can protect itself from car thefts, here’s a look at four high-tech car theft trends.
1. Keyless Car Thefts
To enter vehicles with keyless entry involves a fob that sends short-range radio waves to a receiver in the car. As soon as the vehicle recognizes the signal, it unlocks the doors. Starting the car follows the same process.
So, how do criminals take advantage of wireless key fobs to commit car theft? They use something called a relay attack. There is no smash-and-grab involved. Rather, it’s bounce and roll. Typically, it’s a two-person job. The crooks take advantage of the process by using two relay boxes to trick the car into thinking its key fob is close.
The relay box is a device that receives and retransmits signals from a key fob. One thief will have a relay box and stand near the vehicle. The second thief will have another relay box and walk near where the keys are stored. This grabs the key fob’s signals and transmits them to the relay by the vehicle. This approach does not damage the car, it does not require a key to get in the car, and it’s a very quiet process.
How can owners protect themselves from this? They should keep their key fobs in their home or office that’s far away from the outside. Instead of keeping them by the front or back door, keep them in a bedroom or another place that’s away from the front and back of the home or office building.
There are Faraday cages that can block electronic signals like those sent from fobs. Despite the name, they’re not big or a cage. There are small Faraday bags, wallets, or metal object like a tin can. If there’s not a tracking device in the vehicle, it’d be worth investing in one. Share these tips with your employees and customers.
2. Catalytic Converter Thefts
Stealing a catalytic converter doesn’t involve fancy tech. Thieves tend to use an electric saw. Nonetheless, the technology behind catalytic converters is the high-tech part. The problem is so severe that lawmakers are passing laws to help curb catalytic converter thefts also known as cat thefts.
Catalytic converter thefts skyrocketed between 2018 and 2021. NICB data reveals about 1,300 cat thefts happened in 2018. The next year, the number of catalytic converter theft claims went up to about 3,400. Then the pandemic happened, and theft escalated to almost 15,000! Unfortunately, it got worst as the number of thefts reached 52,000 in 2021!
Criminals and organized crime gangs commit catalytic converters thefts because they’re easy, take only 30 to 90 seconds, and yield good money. A lot of this is due to the shortage of new and used vehicles, the surge in vehicle prices, and the price of the metals from catalytic converters reaching an all-time high. It’s a low-risk theft with a big reward.
The technology is in how the catalytic converter turns toxic chemicals into harmless gases before going out of a vehicle’s exhaust system to release the gases into the environment. The metals, such as platinum, palladium, rhodium, or gold, are in the exhaust. Before the pandemic and the rise in converter thefts, rhodium sold for under $1,000. After? It can sell for close to $20,000!
It’s such a high-reward crime that organized crime gangs will plan an attack in a parking lot or dealership. They can steal a multiple converters in a short amount of time. These brazen gangs often have weapons. Do not confront them.
Despite legislators passing laws to curtail catalytic converter and car thefts, businesses need to be proactive to protect employees and customers from car theft. It takes high-tech to battle high-tech theft. More on that shortly.
3. Reprogramming Key Fobs
Bad actors go to the dark web to get key codes for specific models. They’ll program the blank key fobs with these codes. This allows them to enter cars without triggering the alarm. Inside, they’ll reprogram the vehicle’s computer to clear any security systems. As a result, the owner’s key fob won’t work anymore.
To fight against this, avoid parking a car in a public space for days at a time. A physical device like a steering wheel lock can also deter thieves.
4. Intercepting Code
Have you ever seen a person’s lights flash in a parking lot as an indicator they locked the car? This gives suspects the opportunity to grab the code from the key fob. They intercept the radio signals in the key fob and copy the code. They’ll watch for car lights flashing and immediately copy the signals.
The devices that copy the signals and blank key fobs are easy to find online and cost only a few hundred dollars. This is easier than keyless car thefts because they can do it in any parking lot or where there are a lot of vehicles.
How to Help Deter Car Thefts
A traditional security system may not be enough to stop car thefts. Catalytic converter and car thefts happen quickly. By the time a traditional security system realizes it, the crooks have already gotten away. These traditional security systems are reactive. They don’t do anything until a crime or break-in takes place. They cannot foresee potential criminal activity.
Traditional security systems sometimes don’t know something happened. The only way the business knows is by noticing the damage when they arrive at the business the next day.
Businesses need professional-grade level security to help stop the suspicious activity and prevent theft. This kind of security technology also has the ability to boost productivity, enhance operational efficiencies, and monitor activity. The technology is video surveillance with remote monitoring. It comes with multiple layers of security. The more layers in security, the harder it will be for suspects to accomplish their goals.
Live video monitoring can help deter a crime before damage can happen. The way this high-tech security technology works is that security experts design a video surveillance system and then install the cameras to optimize views around the business. Without monitoring turns it into reactive technology.
The way to maximize monitoring is to use trained human monitoring operators and video analytics. Both have areas of strengths and weaknesses. Video analytics contain many programmed scenarios. Its job is to monitor for a match and alert the trained monitoring operator who takes the needed action.
The trained operator’s job is to respond to the alert. If it’s something innocuous like flying debris, then the security professional will be able to tell. If it’s a potential problem, then the monitoring operator can alert the suspect through an on-site speaker.
Unfortunately, many crooks won’t be scared off by an audible warning. The monitoring operator can call the police while monitoring the suspects. They will keep the police informed of their movements.
Security cameras with remote monitoring come with many benefits not found in other security systems. It can maximize your security investment as many ECAM clients see a return within months.
In choosing ECAM, you will have access to innovative security technologies and solutions. Stealth has an advantage in having locations across North America. The company has partnerships with local police departments. This helps speed up response to an emergency call because they know Stealth has video proof that it’s not a false alarm.
Choose the right video surveillance service contains a checklist of questions to ask security companies. One of the first things you want to look for is a company with experience in your industry. Every industry has different requirements and regulations. If you have questions about video surveillance technology with monitoring, please contact us.
Texas Private Security License Number: B14187.
