Philly police have warned residents that Hondas are a top target for car thieves
Car thieves are exploiting a diagnostic port in newer-model Honda sedans and SUVs that allow thieves to quickly steal them, according to Philadelphia police officials.
Of the 12,000 cars stolen from Philadelphia this year, about a quarter of them were Hondas, and police are warning city residents to take action.
Auto thieves, exploiting a computer port on 2023 or newer CRVs and Accords, among other models, are able to quickly reprogram target cars to work with other keys, according to Philadelphia Police Major Crimes Unit Capt. Robert McKeever.
McKeever’s advice, he said in a recent interview, is to combine new and old technology: Honda dealerships are now offering a cover for cars’ on-board diagnostic ports, and, when paired with a steering wheel club lock, can help keep cars protected.
“The most important thing is that they’re deterrents,” he said. “And when thieves see that, they’ll move onto vehicles they can access more easily.”
McKeever’s unit has been engaging in a public-information campaign this year, in light of high-profile investigations into aggressive car thieves.
In September, investigators broke up an auto-theft ring operating out of an auto-body shop on 9th and Ontario Streets in Fairhill. The group was stealing Hondas to strip for parts they then shipped to the Dominican Republic.
Six stolen CRVs were recovered from that business, McKeever said.
Months earlier, Philadelphia police assisted investigators from the state Attorney General’s Office in dismantling a title-washing scheme that stole and resold 50 vehicles under fraudulent vehicle identification numbers, including multiple Hondas, McKeever said.
The ringleader of that group, Reginald Manson Jr., is facing trial in Montgomery County on racketeering, forgery, and related crimes.
Hondas are desirable, McKeever said, because their parts can be interchanged with those used on Acuras. Many of the stolen cars the department recovers are found abandoned on secluded roads, stripped of bumpers, rims, or other pieces.
He also said thieves are becoming more brazen, with some stealing cars out of dealership lots.
Others have threatened owners who intervene in the thefts with guns.
In one recent case, a Croydon man was shot at while going to confront thieves who attempted to steal his SUV out of his driveway.
“It’s still the second-biggest purchase you’ll make in your lifetime, after your house, but it’s not worth your life,” McKeever said.
