MILWAUKEE — Police say they've seen an increase in armed robberies of Locksmith Programmer Equipment in Milwaukee.
The hand-held, commercial devices are intended for use by locksmiths and advanced automotive technicians providing security services for their customers.
The equipment being stolen has the ability to plug into any vehicle’s ignition to program key fobs and override a vehicle’s security system to start a vehicle.
Police are asking people to take the following precautions to stay safe:
Please obtain specific contact information (I.E. phone numbers and full names and addresses) of the individuals you may be meeting to assist with the programming of keys, prior to arrival.
• Meet in a public location and do not meet in secluded, dimly lit areas (i.e. alleys, parking lots).
• Attempt to verify the identity of the individual(s) requesting locksmith services through a State ID or Driver’s License.
• Report any suspicious events and report incidents to police immediately.
This follows a spike in car thefts across the City of Milwaukee and surrounding areas.
