[Steppes] A new wrinkle in car theft

[Joe Horton]

Got this from a relative, don't know how accurate it is, but its just dumb 
enough it could be true.

Iosef of Graeywood


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Subject: How car thieves get your VIN!!!


Seems that car thieves have found yet another way to steal your car or truck
without any effort at all...

The car thieves peer through the windshield of your car or truck, write down 
the VIN  from the label on the dash, go to the local car dealership and 
request a duplicate key based on the VIN.

The feller who sent this message to me said he didn't believe this e-mail 
when he got it, so he called his Chrysler / Dodge Dealership and pretended 
he had lost his keys.  They told him to just bring in the VIN, and they 
would cut one on the
spot, and he could order the keyless device if he wanted.  The Car Dealer's 
Parts Department will make a duplicate key from the VIN, and collect payment 
from the thief who will return to pick up your car.  He doesn't have to 
break in, do any damage to the vehicle, or draw attention to himself.  All 
he has to do is walk up to your car, insert the key and off he goes to a 
local Chop Shop with your vehicle.  It IS that easy.

To avoid this from happening to you, simply put cover the VIN Metal Label 
located on the dash board.  By law, you cannot remove the VIN, but you can 
cover it so it can't be viewed through the windshield by a car thief.

I slipped a 3 x 5 card over the VIN on both our cars.

You might want to pass this on...  it looks like GOOD INFO!!!