Here is info worth the price of your car!!
Seems that car thieves have found yet another way to steal your car without any effort at all. The car thief peers through the windshield of your car, writes down the VIN # from the label on the dash, goes to the local car dealership, tells them he has lost his keys and requests a duplicate key based on the VIN #. The Car Dealer's Parts Department will make a duplicate key from the VIN # on the spot and probably even suggest you order a keyless entry device from them.
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. He also will probably get your name and address from your registration, call you to say your car has been recovered and while you are gone, rob your house. This makes for a really bad day and State Farm is going to be real unhappy with you.
To prevent this from happening to you, simply put some electrical tape across 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.
Verified at the Urban Legends web site:
http://www.snopes.com/autos/theft/theft.asp
Seems that car thieves have found yet another way to steal your car without any effort at all. The car thief peers through the windshield of your car, writes down the VIN # from the label on the dash, goes to the local car dealership, tells them he has lost his keys and requests a duplicate key based on the VIN #. The Car Dealer's Parts Department will make a duplicate key from the VIN # on the spot and probably even suggest you order a keyless entry device from them.
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. He also will probably get your name and address from your registration, call you to say your car has been recovered and while you are gone, rob your house. This makes for a really bad day and State Farm is going to be real unhappy with you.
To prevent this from happening to you, simply put some electrical tape across 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.
Verified at the Urban Legends web site:
http://www.snopes.com/autos/theft/theft.asp