A would-be car thief was caught on camera for the third time this year and now, the robbery attempt is raising questions about master keys.
On his home security system, Wesley Winford captured a man try to break into his Chevy Blazer early Tuesday morning. The suspect ran away when the car alarm went off.
Winford says it's the third time it's happened this year.
In January, the thief made off with $800 worth of Winford's belongings.
"It hurts to lose your possessions," Winford said. "Even though they're not new, even though they're not very valuable, they're my work stuff."
He believes the suspects had the help of a master key, something that could theoretically unlock any Chevy Blazer made in the late 1990s. 7 out of 10 of the most stolen cars listed by the National Insurance Bureau were made in 2000 or earlier because of rare parts that are valuable, according to Esurance.
Russell Ibragimov, a locksmith with ABC Locksmiths, says all car keys and locks are so different that any master key would have to come from the manufacturer, but that doesn't mean there aren't ways for car thieves to get around that.
"Technically you're not supposed to have it, but you can buy any lockout tools for cars like Slim Jims or the long reach tool," he said. "You wedge the door and stick the tool in through the window and just open."
Ibragimov says the LoJack recovery system or a club on the steering wheel are some of the more effective methods for protecting your car from break-ins.
