VIN# Car Thieves

This is from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.


Here is info worth the price of your car....WHAT WILL THEY THINK OF NEXT?

Seems that car thieves have found yet another way to steal your car or truck without any effort at all... The car thieves peer through the windshield of your car or truck, write down the VIN # from the label on the dash, go to the local car dealership and request a duplicate key based on the VIN # . My friend didn't believe this, so she called Chrysler-Dodge and pretended she had lost her keys. They told her to just bring in the VIN #, and they would cut her one on the spot, and she could order the keyless device if she wanted. The Car Dealer's Parts Department will make a duplicate key from the VIN #, and collect payment from the thief who will return to your car. He doesn’t have to break in, do any damage to the vehicle, or draw attention to himself. All he has to do is walk up to your car, insert the key and off he goes to a local Chop Shop with your vehicle . You don't believe it? It IS that easy. Snopes said it was true.

To avoid this from happening to you, simply put some tape (Electrical tape, duct tape or medical tape) across the VIN Metal Label located on the dash board. By law, you cannot remove the VIN, but you can cover it so it can't be viewed through the windshield by a car thief. I urge you to forward this to your friends before some other car thief steals another car or truck. I slipped a 3 x 5 card over the VIN NUMBER. This can also be done when you have parked your car for the day at a shopping mall, hospital, or work place parking lot!



Cindy Burdette
Crime Prevention Specialist
Sacramento Sheriff's Department
North Central Division
916-876-5717


http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/vin.asp