TROY, Michigan, July 24, 2024 ~ Auto dealers across Metro Detroit are suffering from a surge in thefts by car theft rings employing dark web technologies.
These technologies allow the criminals to reprogram car start mechanisms, quickly allowing access and use of the vehicles they’re targeting. Compounding the issue is the targeting of high-performance vehicles like Dodge Challengers and Chargers, which allow the thieves to effectively elude the police.
The issue now spans multiple jurisdictions, with 40 recent prosecutions.
PODCAST:
July 24, 2024 ~ Local auto dealers are dealing with large numbers of smash-and-grab incidents executed across Metro Detroit by sophisticated auto theft rings. Guy and Jamie talk with Detroit Auto Dealers Association General Counsel Bob Weller about the violence involved in the break-ins, and Governor Gretchen Whitmer signing legislation that might help crack down on the crimes.
(CONTINUED) In response to the increase in thefts, dealerships have started to employ specialized security companies. Additionally, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed new legislation that outlaws possession of the ProPAD technologies used in these thefts. Offenders caught with this technology now face up to five years in prison.
Despite these challenges, dealers remain resilient, and law enforcement is actively working to combat the problem.
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