Bakersfield sees spike in GMC truck thefts, police advise extra precautions

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A recent surge in vehicle thefts has hit a southwest Bakersfield neighborhood, with GMC Sierra 1500 and 2500 trucks being the primary targets. According to the Bakersfield Police Department, the thefts have become a common occurrence, with 18 incidents reported since the beginning of the year.

Sergeant Jeff Martin of the Bakersfield Police Department said, "But since the first of the year, we've had about 18 thefts, and unfortunately, we have not recovered a single one or even found one strip."

The thefts, which have been reported in the Panama Lane and Buena Vista area, involve the use of advanced technology. Martin explained that suspects are using an Autel Device, a vehicle programmer, to quickly gain access to locked vehicles.

"Oh, surprisingly, all these vehicles have been locked, and from the video that we have gathered is they're using what's called an Autel Device. It's a vehicle programmer, and somehow they're able to get the code to the vehicle, enter, the vehicle, start it and drive off. And it's a really quick process. It's about 30 seconds," said Martin.

The device also deactivates OnStar, making it impossible to track the stolen trucks. Martin advised vehicle owners to consider installing a secondary GPS device as a preventive measure.

"I would always think about maybe installing a secondary GPS device on their vehicle, because if they cut off the OnStar, then there'll be a secondary device that will help them track the vehicle down, and also us track the vehicle down," he said.

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He also suggested simple measures such as disconnecting the battery cables or removing the battery when parking in the driveway to deter theft. "They could do also do minor stuff, such as when they pull in the driveway, unhook the battery cables, remove the battery from the car, that will make it pretty much impossible for them to steal it and even to access the vehicle," Martin added.

The suspects shown in the video have not yet been identified. BPD encourages anyone with information to react out at 661-327-7111