INDIANAPOLIS — The number of car thefts is on the rise, and thieves could be cloning your key to do it.
It is called a relay attack. A hacker can duplicate the code inside the key fob and create a new one that will allow them to get access to the car.
Josh Glenn, who works for Audio Electronics, said this has become a popular way to steal cars, and owners of luxury cars are often targeted.
Tara Holloran's Cadillac Escalade was stolen from the Riley Outpatient Center garage while she was at work.
"I usually park in one of two spots, so at first I thought I must have just parked somewhere different," Holloran said. "I searched all my usual spots and searched places that aren't my usual spots. I think I had a little bit of a false sense of security about the possibility of it being stolen."
"Usually if somebody tried the door handles, I would get a message on my app and an email saying it, so it had those advanced security features," Holloran said.
She said she can usually track the car's location using OnStar. However, when that didn't work, she reported the car stolen with IU Police.
A spokesperson with the department said camera footage in the area shows the vehicle leaving the parking garage just before 4 p.m. on Jan. 10.
They haven't been able to identify the person driving the car. The case is still under investigation.
"Unfortunately, I think criminals do stay up with technology and ahead of technology, so the more things we add to cars, they find ways around them," Holloran said.
Holloran wants people to be aware that this could happen to them.
"It's disappointing. Clearly there are people really smart out there, and instead of using that skill for something good, they're using it for stuff like this,” Holloran said.