FRESNO, Calif. (KMPH) -
Forget hotwiring engines, Fresno Police say a pair of thieves have started a new trend in stealing cars.
They go for the real keys first.
The thieves turn a test drive into a steal, rather than a sale. They're posing as customers, and watching where the salesman goes to get the keys to the car.
The pair went to Hedrick's Chevrolet in Clovis and test drove a brand new Chevy Camaro.
The keys to the Camaros were kept in the trunk of a sedan on the lot.
"It's irritating that they have the gall to do that kind of thing. They knew where the keys were, stole 10 or 11 keys," said Casey Clinger, general sales manager at Hedrick's Chevrolet.
Police identified one of the thieves as Aaron Greene. They say he's stolen cars from several Valley car lots in the past few months using the same method - pretending to be a customer.
He even filled out credit applications.
"He used somebody's old social security number, made his own false ID, and was trying to purchase a vehicle," said Sgt. Tim Tietjen with Fresno's Career Criminal Auto Theft Team.
Officers arrested Greene last week for stealing a BMW from Carmax in Fresno.
They found more than a dozen stolen keys on him, including the keys to the Camaros.
He was released from jail soon after.
Then Monday morning a car was stolen from Lithia Nissan in Fresno.
The manager says the thief broke the lock box on the window, grabbed the key, and drove off with a blue, 2011 Ford Mustang convertible.
Police think it's the work of Greene and his accomplice.
Detectives believe he's working with a woman whose face was captured on a surveillance camera from Lithia Nissan, but she has not been identified yet.
"What we think is happening is she's watching them move back and forth where they put the keys. And when the moment is right, she'll get the key," said Sgt. Tietjen.
What worries car dealerships the most? The boldness of the thieves.
They come face to face with the bad guys who don't seem to care that surveillance cameras are rolling.
"I think definitely a sign of the times. Criminals are getting crazier. Less to worry about. Jail time is getting limited unfortunately, so this is what happens," said Jeff Bergman, of Lithia Nissan.
Anyone with information is asked to call CCATT detectives at 621-2228.
