Although today auto dealers are not supposed to make keys from VIN or key
numbers without proof of ownership (at least in Minnesota).

John Lee




At 07:04 AM 2/25/04 -0600, Jerry Fochtman wrote:
>Might want to pass this around...having made keys for folks based upon
>VIN numbers when working at my Dad's dealership as a youth I can understand
>how this could easily be done...(small town...usually knew the person tho...)
>
>
>
>>Subject: NEW ANGLE BY THIEVES.
>>Importance: High
>>
>>
>>It seems that car thieves have found another way to steal your car or
>>truck without any effort at all. The car thieves peer through the
>>windshield of your car or truck, write down the VIN number from the label
>>on the dash, go to the local car dealership and request a duplicate key
>>based on the VIN number. The car dealer's parts dept will make a duplicate
>>key from the VIN number and collect payment from the thief who will return
>>to your car.  He doesn't have to break in, do any damage to the vehicle,
>>or draw attention to himself. All he has to do is to walk up to your car,
>>insert the key and off he goes to a local chop shop with your vehicle. You
>>don't believe it? It IS that easy. To avoid this from happening to you,
>>simply put some tape (electrical tape, duct tape or medical tape) across
>>the VIN label located on the dash board. By law, you cannot remove the VIN
>>number, but you can cover it so it can't be viewed through the windshield
>>by a car thief.  I urge you to forward this to your friends before some
>>other car thief steals another car or truck.
>>
>>
>>Roland went to <http://www.Snopes.com>www.Snopes.com and found this to be
>>true.
>>
>>To avoid having your vehicle stolen, simply put opaque tape (like a strip
>>of electrical tape, duct tape or medical tape) across the VIN label
>>located on the dash board. You can't remove the VIN number legally under
>>most state laws, so cover it so that it can't be viewed through the
>>windshield by a car thief.
>
>* To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, *
>* etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html *
>

* To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, *
* etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html *