Waterloo regional police say they have arrested a man from Brant County, Ont., in connection with a number of recent vehicle reprogramming thefts in Cambridge.
According to a release from police, four vehicles were taken while parked overnight near Vivian Baulk Street, Bluewater Drive, Compass Trail and Cowan Boulevard on Sunday night.
The stolen newer-model vehicles were two Dodge Ram pickups, a Jeep Wrangler and a Jeep Gladiator.
Police say officers from the break, enter and vehicle theft unit were called in and they were soon able to find two of the stolen vehicles in Cambridge.
Then on Tuesday, a 24-year-old man from Brant County was arrested and charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000 and possession of a master key.
Police say officers from the break, enter and vehicle theft unit are continuing to investigate the case.
They also provided details on how relay and reprogramming vehicle thefts work and ways you can protect your vehicles from these types of situations.
In instances of relay thefts, police say thieves will use technology to look for a key fob signal inside a home.
The technology allows them to steal the signal in order to unlock, start and take a car, truck or SUV.
Often, these types of thefts will occur in the overnight hours, so they are not discovered by the owner until the vehicle is long gone.
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In the situation where a vehicle is taken through reprogramming, police say the thieves will force their way inside a vehicle before they use an electronic device to access the automobile’s diagnostics.
Police say the thieves will then reprogram a blank key fob before they make off with the vehicle.
They say a simple device can be purchased online that will block the onboard diagnostic port and to use a steering wheel locking device.
You can also purchase a radio frequency shielding bag or pouch which will block cell signals.
Police also suggest purchasing a GPS tracker on your vehicle which could help police recover in the event it is stolen.
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