Thieves Who Stole Hundreds Of FCA Cars Used Firm’s DealerConnect System

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has confirmed reports that thieves used its DealerConnect

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by Brad Anderson

August 30, 2016 at 21:33

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has confirmed reports that thieves used its DealerConnect system to steal dozens of its vehicles from the Houston area, reports Left Lane News.

Last month, the two thieves were arrested by local police and the Houston Police Department discovered during its investigations that the pair had stolen over 100 Jeep Wrangler, Cherokee and Dodge pickup truck models and transported the vehicles across the Mexican border.

While speaking with the Houston Chronicle, a spokesman from FCA revealed that during one incident, the thief broke into the vehicle and used a laptop to enter the car’s VIN into an FCA database, before stealing the car.

That database is called DealerConnect and allows dealers to simply reprogram a vehicle’s computer to accept a new key fob.

It’s not yet known how the thieves obtained the software, but it is reported that FCA has revised its disclaimer for DealerConnect to threaten civil or criminal proceedings against those who supply the software to unauthorized individuals.