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VIN WARNING!
Safety Information passed on from Jack Voita
This is from a representative with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.
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 dash, go to the local car dealership and request a duplicate key based on the VIN #.
My friend didn't believe this, so she called Chrysler-Dodge and pretended she had lost her keys. They told her to just bring in the VIN #, and they would cut her one on the spot, and she could order the keyless device if she 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 your car.
The thief doesn't have to break in, do any damage to the vehicle, or draw a 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.
You don't believe it. It IS that easy.
To avoid this from happening to you, simply put some tape (Electrical tape, duct tape, or medical tape) across the VIN Metal Label located on the dashboard. By law, you cannot remove the VIN, but you can cover it so a car thief can't view it through the windshield.
I urge you to forward this to your friends before some other car thief steals another car or truck. I slipped a 3 x 5 card over the VIN NUMBER. This can also be done when you have parked your car for the day at a shopping mall, hospital, or work place parking lot!
Cindy Burdette
Crime Prevention Specialist
Sacramento Sheriff's Department North Central Division