Car Theft Scam

It is being reported that cars are apparently being stolen following a ‘scratch’ to the paintwork. The scenario is as follows:

A thief/accomplice scratches a target car and leaves a note. The note apologies for the damage and promises to send a dent/scratch removal company out.

The company turns up and clones the owner’s key by using a diagnostic USB device connected to a laptop. They pretend the laptop is plugged into the car diagnostics in order to interrogate the Engine Management Unit for the paint code.

They then say they don’t carry that particular paint, and will need to return at later time. Which they don’t.

They now have the details to create a copy of the owner’s key, and can return to steal the vehicle at any time.

This method appears to have been used twice in Surrey recently