Police in Southern California say car thieves are getting smarter, faster, and a lot more high-tech.
In a recent NBCLA video report, journalist Alex Rozier explained how criminals in Anaheim Hills are now using locksmith tablets and radio antennas to quietly steal high-end cars and trucks right out of people’s driveways.
According to Rozier and Anaheim police, this isn’t a one-off stunt – it’s a growing trend that has detectives worried and homeowners on edge.
Thieves Turn To High-Tech Tricks In Anaheim Hills
Rozier says the latest case that caught investigators’ attention happened just last Friday in Anaheim Hills. A family’s truck was stolen in seconds, and while they didn’t want to appear on camera, they did share their surveillance video with NBC4 and Anaheim police.
The footage, as Rozier describes it, shows a thief calmly approaching the parked truck and driving it away almost as if he had a key. For neighbors watching that clip afterward, it wasn’t just a normal theft – it was a reminder that “locked” doesn’t mean what it used to.
Residents interviewed in Rozier’s report called the situation “shocking” and “frightening,” saying it’s unnerving to see how quickly someone can defeat modern locks.
That reaction makes sense; people buy newer vehicles partly because they believe the tech will keep them safer. The video shows that same tech can also become a weak point when the wrong person knows how to exploit it.
How A Locksmith Tablet Becomes A Car Thief’s Best Friend
Anaheim Police Detective Heather Scaglione walked Rozier through the truck theft frame by frame. She says the suspect starts with something very basic — checking the door handle. When he realizes the truck is locked, that’s when the “new method” kicks in.
According to Scaglione, the thief moves to the back window and uses a window punch to break the glass. Because the window is tinted, the glass stays mostly intact, which lets him peel it away in one piece and climb into the cab without making a shower of broken glass.
That detail alone shows planning and practice; this isn’t clumsy smash-and-grab behavior.
Once inside, Scaglione says the man is handed a locksmith-style computer tablet from an accomplice waiting outside. That device plugs into the truck’s onboard computer through an access port.
From there, she explains, the thief can quickly reprogram the system so it recognizes a new key, effectively “teaching” the truck to obey him instead of the real owner. Within moments, he starts the truck and drives away.
What’s especially frustrating here is that the tool isn’t some black-market gadget built for criminals. Rozier notes it’s a tablet meant for legitimate locksmiths and repair shops.
In the wrong hands, though, it becomes a powerful way to bypass the entire key system that owners are counting on. It’s a reminder that almost any professional tool can be turned into a criminal one if someone is willing to cross the line.
Key Fob Relay Attacks Hit Driveways
The locksmith tablet isn’t the only trick police are seeing. In the same report, Anaheim Police Sergeant Matt Sutter told Rozier about another method that targets newer vehicles with keyless entry and push-button start systems.
Sutter explains that modern key fobs constantly send out a low-level signal so your car recognizes you when you walk up, unlocks, and lets you start it without pulling out a physical key. Thieves are now abusing that convenience.
According to Sutter, crews use an antenna device near your home – often by standing close to the front door or garage – to “catch” the signal from the key fob sitting inside. Once they grab that signal, they relay it to another device next to your car.
To the vehicle, it looks like the real key is present. The door unlocks, the push-button start works, and the thieves drive away without ever stepping inside your house.
From a homeowner’s view, that’s terrifying. You didn’t leave your keys in the car. You didn’t forget to lock the doors. You did everything right. But the tech that was supposed to make life easier became a radio beacon that helped someone steal your ride.
As Rozier points out, police now consider this a real trend, not a rare hack you’d only see in a movie.
What Police Say You Can Do To Fight Back
The good news in Rozier’s report is that police are not just sounding the alarm; they’re also offering practical steps that regular people can take.
Sgt. Sutter tells Rozier that one option is to turn off the passive keyless feature if your car allows it. That’s the setting where you can simply pull the handle and the car unlocks automatically.
Disabling that function forces you to press a button on the key or physically use it, which can cut off the constant “always-on” signal thieves are trying to hijack.
Sutter also suggests storing your keys farther inside your home, not on hooks or bowls close to the front door. If the fob is deeper in the house, it’s harder for someone standing outside with an antenna to pick up the signal. It’s a small change in habit, but one that can make a difference.
Detective Scaglione offers another layer of defense: a Faraday bag. She explains to Rozier that these pouches block radio signals from leaving the key fob. People can buy them online or even improvise a similar effect using aluminum foil.
Drop your key in a signal-blocking pouch or container, and it becomes invisible to those antenna tools.
Is it annoying to wrap your key or tuck it away every night? Sure. But given how fast these thieves work, a simple barrier like this might be the difference between waking up to your car in the driveway or an empty space.
The reality is that modern security now includes managing radio signals just as much as locking doors and turning on lights.
Why This Trend Matters Beyond Anaheim
Rozier notes that Anaheim police haven’t yet confirmed whether all the recent thefts are connected, and no arrests have been made in the cases he reported on. Still, officers are comfortable calling this a trend – which means it’s likely not staying in Anaheim Hills.
Whenever criminals find a method that works, it tends to spread. The gear gets cheaper, the techniques get shared, and crews in other cities start copying what they see.
High-end trucks and SUVs are especially attractive targets because they can be resold, stripped for parts, or shipped overseas for big profits.
One smart move Anaheim PD has made, which Rozier highlights, is leaning into community video sharing. The department recently launched a program where homeowners can easily share surveillance footage with investigators through a portal at ConnectAnaheim.org.
If your camera catches something suspicious, you can send it directly to detectives instead of hoping that posting a clip on social media gets their attention.
Police are also asking anyone with information or useful footage about these thefts to call Anaheim PD at 714-765-1900. That direct outreach matters because, as tech-driven crime ramps up, detectives often need several camera angles and different vantage points to connect vehicles, faces, and patterns across neighborhoods.
From a bigger-picture standpoint, this trend shows how the battle between security and theft has changed. Cars are less likely to be hot-wired the old-fashioned way, but they’re more exposed to digital tricks and signal theft.
Owners are being pushed into thinking like mini-security managers – not just about alarms and steering locks, but about software updates, radio-blocking pouches, and where their keys sit overnight.
It’s easy to feel frustrated by that. People buy newer cars expecting fewer headaches, not more. But Rozier’s reporting, along with the warnings from Detective Scaglione and Sergeant Sutter, makes one thing clear: ignoring the tech side of car security is no longer an option.
If there’s a takeaway from the Anaheim Hills cases, it’s this. Modern thieves are adapting quickly, but so can regular drivers. A few small habits – moving your keys, disabling certain features, using a Faraday bag, and registering your cameras with police – may be enough to make your driveway the wrong target on a very long list.
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The article Police warn thieves are using updated methods to steal newer cars first appeared on Survival World.
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, John developed a love for the great outdoors early on. With years of experience as a wilderness guide, he’s navigated rugged terrains and unpredictable weather patterns. John is also an avid hunter and fisherman who believes in sustainable living. His focus on practical survival skills, from building shelters to purifying water, reflects his passion for preparedness. When he’s not out in the wild, you can find him sharing his knowledge through writing, hoping to inspire others to embrace self-reliance.
