Vehicle Theft Wave Hits Howard County, Over a Dozen Cars Stolen in Days

COLUMBIA, Md. — A recent surge in vehicle thefts has alarmed residents of Howard County, with over a dozen cars reported stolen in just three days. Victims are expressing concerns about the sophisticated methods used by the thieves.

Steven Robbins discovered his new blue Honda Civic Sport missing from outside his Columbia home early Tuesday morning, despite both he and his wife still having their keys. "I said, ‘Did you move the car?’ And she panicked and said: ‘No!’ So I looked out, and the car was gone. And I knew right then that it had been boosted," Robbins recounted.

Police reports indicate that at least 14 vehicles were targeted between Saturday night and Tuesday morning, with a significant number of these thefts occurring in Columbia. Other affected areas include Elkridge, Ellicott City, Jessup, and Laurel.

Robbins' neighbor, Richard Sibilly, managed to capture footage of the theft on his security cameras, which he installed following a rise in property crimes in the neighborhood. The video shows a black vehicle entering the area with four individuals wearing black masks inside.

As the footage reveals, the car parked behind Robbins' vehicle with its headlights turned off. Robbins suspects that the thieves employed a device known as an “All Keys Lost” or Flipper device, which can intercept and manipulate signals from key fobs. "They read the car’s VIN number and got the car’s accessories; They got the ignition code, they got the remote key fob code," he explained.

Despite a reported 25% decrease in vehicle thefts this year in Howard County, only 42% of stolen vehicles have been recovered. Robbins hopes for federal action to prevent such technology from being accessible to criminals.

Following the incident, Robbins, who works in cybersecurity, is taking proactive measures to protect his property, including investing in Faraday boxes to block key signals and AirTags for tracking. He believes these tools could have helped law enforcement recover his vehicle more efficiently.

Residents are also encouraged to consider physical deterrents, such as steering wheel locks and ignition kill switches, to enhance their vehicle security.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WMAR-2 News (source).