According to CBS 2 Chicago’s report by Pam Zekman, hundreds of cars have been stolen by thieves targeting the South Side of Chicago and the south Suburbs as far as Joliet.
Step 1. Thieves target a car that is parked for long periods, such as a car parked at a commuter lot.
Step 2. Thieves obtain the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) from area on the left side of the area just behind the lower left, driver’s side windshield. The numbers is a long number just on top of the dashboard very close to the windshield.
Step 3. Thieves forge a title or vehicle registration document.
Step 4. Thieves take the forged document and a fake ID with their picture on your identity to a dealership to get permission to have a key made.
Step 5. Thieves return to the parked car at a commuter lot or other long-term parking lot, and put the new key in the ignition and drive away.
How can you deter this method of theft?
Do any or all of the following …
1. Hide your VIN by covering it with a piece of paper or by putting a sticker inside your windshield.
2. Use the club to lock your steering wheel.
3. Install a hidden dead man’s switch under the dash.
More about the VIN …
A Vehicle Identification Number, commonly abbreviated to VIN, is a unique serial number used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles. Prior to 1981, there was not an accepted standard for these numbers, so different manufacturers used different formats.
Since 1981, VINs consist of 17 characters which do not include the letters I, O, or Q (to avoid confusion with numerals 1 and 0) … Wikipedia: Vehicle Identification Number
See also …
CBS2Chicago.com — Thieves Target Commuter Lots In Elaborate Car Scam