Thieves Exploiting Security Feature: Rye Police Warn Car Owners

RYE, NY — The Rye Police Department is warning car owners that they could be making things easy for car thieves and they might not even know it.

Law enforcement officials issued a public alert about "a recent uptick in vehicle theft attempts in the City of Rye and neighboring jurisdictions." Police encouraged motorists to continue to take out all valuables and lock your car doors both when parking at home or while out and about.

Owners of certain high-end car models might want to take an extra precaution, according to police. There may be a long-forgotten 'valet' key hidden in some cars that could make stealing a car a breeze.

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"A valet key is a spare key that comes with manufacturers like BMW and Audi," police said in the special alert. "The key can be found in the glovebox with the owners manual or sometimes in the trunk in a toolbox."