In Howard County, an area with a high concentration of Korean residents, 14 vehicles were stolen in succession within just three days. Howard County police announced that between the night of the 18th and the early morning of the 21st alone, at least 14 vehicles disappeared across the county, including areas centered around Columbia, such as Elkridge, Ellicott City, Jessup, and Laurel. It was confirmed that six of the stolen vehicles were Hondas, accounting for nearly half of the total.
Residents are increasingly anxious as it has been determined that a new modus operandi was employed, utilizing advanced equipment to hack vehicle electronic systems to unlock doors and start the engine without a smart key. Stephen Robbins, a resident of a residential area in Columbia, discovered on the morning of the 21st that his 2025 Honda Civic, parked in front of his house, had disappeared. At the time, Mr. and Mrs. Robbins had both smart keys inside the house.
A security camera installed by a neighbor captured footage of a black sedan entering the residential area in the early hours of the morning, turning off its headlights, and committing the theft. A vehicle carrying four people wearing black masks approached Mr. Robbins’ vehicle from behind with its headlights off, and shortly after a small electronic device flashed next to the vehicle, the stolen vehicle began to move without even sounding an alarm. Police believe the perpetrators used electronic signal jamming and cloning devices such as “All Keys Lost” equipment or “Flippers.”
This method involves intercepting wireless communication signals between the smart key and the vehicle to hack the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and encrypted ignition control codes. Victim Mr. Robbins, who works in the cybersecurity industry, expressed his outrage, stating, “It was practically the same as the criminals having my car key in their own hands.”
Meanwhile, a series of airbag thefts have also occurred in the nearby area.
According to authorities, while total vehicle thefts in the county this year have decreased by 25% compared to the previous year, the recovery rate for stolen vehicles remains at a mere 42%. Police noted, “We are facing difficulties in tracking and apprehending criminals as sophisticated crimes involving advanced technology increase,” and urged the public to “install additional physical security devices, such as steering locks, pedal locks, and ignition cutoff devices, along with using ‘Faraday Boxes’ to block smart key signals or ‘AirTags’ for location tracking.”