Crime & Safety
Minneapolis Police Say New Technology Is Contributing To Recent Rise In Auto Thefts
The whole process takes just minutes, though Damian noted that it's rare that it will work on newer car models.
April 1, 2026
Car thefts are spiking in Minneapolis, and police say that a newer method of stealing is partially to blame.
Find out what's happening in Across Minnesotafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
According to spokesperson Sgt. Garrett Parten, officers have found tablet devices in some stolen vehicles that can be used in conjunction with a generic key fob to get a car started.
Locksmith Andrei Damian showed WCCO how the tools work. To begin, he calibrates a blank key fob to work for a specific kind of car brand. From there, he plugs his Autel tablet into the target vehicle, which then downloads data from the car and transmits it onto the fob. From there, that fob will unlock and start the car just like the one the driver would have walked off the dealership lot with at the time of purchase.
Find out what's happening in Across Minnesotafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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