WARNING!!! HOW THIEVES CAN STEAL YOUR CAR

(I received the following from a friend of mine in mid 2005.)

Seems that car thieves have found yet 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 # from the label on the dash, go to the local car dealership and
request a duplicate key based on the VIN #.

I didn't believe this e-mail, so I called a friend at Chrysler Dodge And
pretended I had lost my keys. They told me to just bring in the VIN #, and
they would cut me one on the spot, and I could order the keyless device if
I wanted.

The Car Dealer's Parts Department will make a duplicate key from the VIN #,
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 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 Metal Label located on the dash
board. By law, you cannot remove the VIN, 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.

I slipped a 3 x 5 card over the VIN

Hmmm!! You would think the Dealerships would require verification first.

[Followup Dec 15, 2005 -- Apparently GM implemented a new policy around the
first of December.  You now have to provide personal ID and proof of
ownership to get the key number based on your VIN.  Our keys were locked
in our car and the dealer was insistant that he could not give us a key without
seeing the title or registration and personal ID to prove that we owned the car.
He said this was a new policy that went into effect around the 1st of December.]