2 days Ago By Anthony Blair
DRIVERS have been issued vital security advice to keep their vehicles safe after a crime ring hit a major airport, stealing dozens of vehicles. Around 14 suspects have been linked to the theft of nearly $5 million of vehicles at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Texas. Approximately 52 vehicles were stolen at the travel hub between 2023 and November 2024, according to a search warrant obtained by NBC affiliate NBCDFW .
But security experts have advice for drivers looking to keep their vehicles secure while they leave them in spaces such as airports. Gene Petrino, co-owner of Survival Response LLC and a retired SWAT commander, said it's common for organized theft rings to use Autel tools "to reprogram key fobs and bypass modern security systems." They often target "vehicles based on their market demand or resale value," he told Fox News Digital .
READ MORE ON VEHICLE SAFETY "These devices, designed for legitimate locksmiths and mechanics, can be misused to mimic or reset vehicle keys," Petrino said. Criminal experts have warned that nationwide criminal rings are increasingly targeting the Dallas-Fort Worth Area. "We've seen an increase of what appears to be more sophisticated crime, more crime that has ties internationally and throughout the United States," Tarleton State criminologist Alex Del Carmen told NBC 5.
Experts say using a tool such as a wheel lock could also help as an extra security measure to prevent theft. Most read in Motors Authorities say they have been investigating the DFW Airport crime ring since February last year. Stunned drivers only discovered their vehicles when they used an electronic payment app.
Truck driver Chaz Mady had his vehicle stolen from a DFW Airport garage while he was traveling.. "When I checked under my TollTag account, I saw that on Saturday night, it was on a tollway in Houston on a Harris County toll road," he told NBC 5 in November 2023.
Mady said the theft had put him off parking at the airport again. "The last thing I want to do when I come home is worry if my car is still in the garage or not," he said. Here are 10 ways to avoid your car being stolen according to an auto insurance company: Lock your doors.
It makes it more difficult for thieves to access anything inside the vehicle. Keep your keys on your person. With smart keys and fobs, a car can be unlocked if the key is close by.
If the key is inside or on your person, it can't be unlocked. Don't leave a spare key near the vehicle, as thieves know to look for them in common places like in a wheel well, under items in the driveway, or in the glovebox. Keep windows closed.
If a window is open, thieves can manually unlock the doors. Park in well-lit areas, as it helps detour thieves if their actions are visible to passersby. If your vehicle doesn't have one, consider an anti-theft alarm system.
If you live in a high-crime area, consider an immobilizer device that utilizes a kill switch if the device doesn't recognize an authorized key. Consider a tracking device to be able to keep tabs on your vehicle's location if it's stolen. Never leave valuables in the car, especially in a visible spot.
Thieves know to look in the floor boards, passenger, or rear seats for valuables. Double-check before leaving the vehicle that it's secure. To protect wheels and tires, especially aftermarket wheels, consider wheel lock lug nuts.
They require a special socket to remove, so they're impossible to remove without it. Source: Allstate Auto Insurance Cops have arrested three suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime ring, which also targeted other airports in Texas, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. One of the suspects, Yoel Hernandez-Frometa, is accused of using Autel devices to reprogram key fobs to steal vehicles.
Autel devices are automotive diagnostic tools designed to identify and diagnose vehicle repairs. But criminals can use them to create new key fobs within minutes. Read More on The US Sun In a joint operation last month in Massachusetts, police took down a crime ring that allegedly used Autel programming devices to steal 63 vehicles.
After breaking into vehicles, the suspects allegedly took a blank key fob, connected the Autel device into the vehicle, and created a new functioning fob..
