Expand / Collapse search
☰

Thieves use key fob amplifier to access Oakland woman's car

By
Published  June 9, 2023 5:49pm PDT
Oakland
KTVU FOX 2

Hackers use key fob amplifier to access Oakland woman's car

Wireless key fobs are part of everyday life for car owners, but a driver in the Bay Area is raising the alarm after she caught tech-savvy thieves hacking her car's alarm system.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Wireless key fobs are part of everyday life for car owners, but a driver in the Bay Area is raising the alarm after she caught tech-savvy thieves hacking her car's alarm system.

Social media and TikTok challenges are teaching people how to use special amplifier devices to get a signal from someone's key fob in their home and then remotely unlock their car as it is parked in their driveway.

"I couldn't believe it," said Rochelle Baxter-Green. "I saw the white car driving down the road, and then the guy in the passenger seat had his arm out the window, and then they stopped."

Baxter-Green's home security system caught the crime on camera. It happened in the overnight hours of May 29 on Hawkins Drive in Oakland's Arcadia Park neighborhood.

"Luckily, they didn't get anything of value," she said. "They just rummaged through the trunk."

SEE ALSO: Insufficient evidence to charge 9 youths for string of East Bay robberies, DA says

She said the burglary has left her feeling vulnerable.

"These criminals, they're getting smart. To use a device like that, it would never have crossed my mind," she said.

Auto club AAA is aware of this nationwide crime, but the trend is often hard to track. Often, there's no evidence a car has been tampered with. In most car break-ins, there's usually shattered glass. This high-tech crime avoids all that.

"It's not surprising that car thieves or potential thieves are trying new ways or using new technology to gain access to people's vehicles," said AAA spokesperson John Treanor.

While the automobile organization is aware of the crime, there's no hard data for the state of California. Still, the organization said people need to be aware.

Tow-truck driver deliberately runs vehicle into SUV to interrupt Oakland theft attempt

A tow truck driver deliberately used his vehicle to run into an SUV at a gas station in Oakland. The driver said he did it to protect a woman who he says was about to get robbed at gunpoint.

"What AAA wants people to be aware of is keeping things out of sight," said Treanor. "That is the most important."

There are things people can do to protect their car and belongings. First, if possible, keep vehicles in a garage or well-lit area. Secondly, don't leave valuables like cellphones or keys inside the car.

Experts said drivers should be mindful of where their car keys are stored. The closer the car keys are to the vehicle, the more likely someone can get in.

Rochelle said after doing some simple research, she now has the knowledge and tools to prevent this from happening again.

"I bought this $14 pouch," she said. "You put the key fob in the foil-sided pocket, and it blocks people from accessing the signal."

Experts said that while hackers can gain access to a person's car through the key fob, thieves can't technically take the car. To start the vehicle, they would need the actual key.