Under bright driveway lights and right in front of security cameras, a thief slipped into a River Oaks driveway early Friday morning and drove off in a GMC truck in a matter of seconds. The quiet, almost surgical theft is the latest in a run of pickup disappearances that has Houston-area owners double-checking their key fobs before bed.
Homeowner Andrew Boyd said he only realized his truck was gone when he tried to unlock it the next morning. Security footage later showed the whole thing unfolding around 3:30 a.m. and wrapping up fast. "It didn't take them any time at all," Boyd told FOX 26 Houston.
How Investigators Say the Thefts Happen
Investigators are pointing to so‑called relay attacks, also known as key‑signal cloning. In these cases, thieves capture a key fob's signal and replay it so the truck "thinks" the key is nearby, letting them unlock and start the vehicle without shattering a window or popping a lock. Authorities say the whole operation can take under a minute, and similar thefts have been reported in Montgomery and other nearby counties, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Teams typically use small radio devices that sniff out the low‑frequency signal from a key fob sitting inside a house and relay it to the truck in the driveway. Once they are in, some crews tap into the vehicle's OBD‑II port to program a fresh key, leaving behind no broken glass, no mangled ignition, and very few clues, investigators told FOX 26 Houston.
What Police and Experts Recommend
Police and security experts are advising drivers to stack defenses rather than rely on a single gadget. Suggestions include stashing key fobs in an RF‑blocking Faraday pouch, adding obvious deterrents like a steering‑wheel lock or wheel boot, and installing a hidden kill switch or aftermarket GPS tracker to boost the odds of getting a stolen truck back.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau also recommends parking in locked garages or well‑lit spots and keeping vehicle software up to date. None of that makes a truck theft‑proof, but it can turn one driveway into less of a sure thing than the one next door.
Pickup Trucks Still Top Thieves' Lists
State data show full‑size pickups remain prime targets. Recent monthly auto‑theft figures from the Texas Department of Public Safety list the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra among the most frequently reported stolen models.
Local coverage has also highlighted Houston's outsized share of the problem, noting the city led the state in stolen vehicle counts late last year, with Houston crowned car-theft capital in November.
Legal and Industry Context
The vulnerability behind these keyless thefts is starting to play out in court. A proposed class‑action complaint filed by Texas owners claims certain GM keyless‑entry systems can be cloned too easily, leaving trucks exposed, and the case has been tracked in industry coverage. A summary of the litigation is available at CarComplaints.
Boyd has reported his truck stolen to local police. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713‑222‑TIPS (8477) or submit an anonymous tip online. Tips may be eligible for rewards and are handled confidentially; visit Crime Stoppers of Houston for details.
