WARREN COUNTY, Ohio — The Warren County Sheriff's Office issued a warning on Monday about an uptick in vehicle thefts in the area.
Lt. Brian Payne, Post Commander at the Deerfield office, said the crime wave was driven by the use of new technologies that help suspected criminal organizations bypass key fob security systems.
In one use, the thieves use a key programmer to plug directly into a vehicle and generate a key fob that mimics signals sent by branded keys. Those signals allow them to start the car and drive with the car 'thinking' that a legitimate key is inside.
"We've gotten some videos recently with people carrying these scanners in their hands, which has helped us kind of identify this trend," Payne said.
Payne breaks down the robberies with us in the clip below:
The sheriff's office said the recent thefts don't target any specific vehicle make or model — unlike recent spikes in auto thefts that stemmed specifically from issues with Kias and Hyundais.
In addition, the sheriff's office said the people suspected of committing the thefts are known to carry weapons. Anyone who sees anything suspicious should call 911 and not confront them, the sheriff's office said.
"If they see something specific, call right away," Payne said. "That way we can get on top of it. That's our best tool right now because they can steal these cars so fast with these programmers, and these subjects are known to be armed."
The announcement encourages residents to make sure they remove all key fobs from their vehicles and avoid storing those keys or fobs near the front door.
The sheriff's office said that is due to a second type of technology that allows thieves to boost the signal your key emits to reach out to a receiver near your car. That receiver communicates the unique signal into your car as if the key sitting in your home were in the thief's pocket. The car will read it, unlock it and allow them to drive away.
Payne said the criminals work in groups, and the activities could be tracked to groups they've monitored operating in Cincinnati or the greater Dayton area.
The sheriff's office also suggested residents hide an independent tracking device somewhere inside the vehicle.
Payne urged people across the county to monitor home cameras and surveillance systems and call them immediately if something strange is captured. He said videos submitted to the office have allowed them and other law enforcement agencies in the area to track different groups.
"Be a good witness. Be a good neighbor. Watch out for each other," he said.
Anyone with information about the crimes can contact the Warren County Sheriff's Office at 513.695.1280 or the communications center at 513.695.2525.
WARREN COUNTY – Public Safety AnnouncementWarren County has seen an increase in motor vehicle thefts. There is no certain vehicle make or model these groups are targeting, so any model is a potential target. The criminals committing these thefts are known to carry weapons. We…
— Warren Co Sheriff (@WCSO_Ohio) January 27, 2025
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