Edina police want residents to start treating their car keys like house keys: keep them close, keep them hidden, and do not leave them sitting in an unlocked vehicle. The department is warning about a recent run of car break-ins and auto thefts around the city, part of a broader regional surge in stolen vehicles that investigators say they are watching closely.
The alert came in a brief social media post and video that urged drivers to lock their cars, stash key fobs and valuables out of sight, and call in anything that looks suspicious, according to CBS Minnesota. The message did not spell out how many cases officers are looking at or whether any arrests have been made.
High-Tech Thefts Are Fueling a Regional Rise
Across the Twin Cities, thieves are leaning on relatively cheap tech to dramatically speed up auto thefts. Minneapolis has logged roughly 1,450 stolen vehicles so far this year as suspects, often teenagers, increasingly use tablets and docking stations to clone key fobs in just a few minutes, according to the Star Tribune. That method broadens the range of makes and models that can be quietly driven off instead of hot-wired.
What Investigators Are Finding and How to Protect Your Car
The Hennepin County Auto Theft Task Force estimates that about 20% of stolen vehicles in the county now involve key-programming devices, and officers have recovered more than 150 stolen cars this year along with some of the tools used to take them, according to FOX 9. Sergeant Mike Vai told FOX 9 the gadgets are user-friendly to a worrying degree - “it’s just basically following prompts” - and can let thieves be in and out in under a minute.
Law enforcement advisers are still pushing the fundamentals: lock every door, never leave a vehicle running unattended, keep keys and fobs out of the car, and consider an alarm system or old-school steering-wheel lock as an added headache for would-be thieves.
Where to Report Tips
Edina police are asking anyone who has information, home surveillance footage, or doorbell video tied to recent thefts or suspicious activity to reach out to the department. Non-emergency and dispatch numbers are listed on the department’s website, according to Edina Police. Residents should call 911 in an emergency and use the non-emergency lines to share tips and video that might help investigators track who is behind the spike in cases.
