Man shares warning after car was stolen without key fob

WASHINGTON -- A man in Washington, D.C., is sharing a warning for other drivers after his car was stolen despite him still having the vehicle's key fob in his possession.

Benjamin Bragg-Reynolds told "Good Morning America" he ran out to start his car on a cold evening last winter and while the vehicle warmed up, he ran back inside to fetch his dog.

"[I] went into the house to get the dog. When I turned around to come back out, the car was gone," Bragg-Reynolds recalled.

Bragg-Reynolds said he had taken his car's key fob with him, something he had done several times in the past without any incident.

"I was under the impression that you can start it and walk away from it, but it won't move unless the key is in the vehicle," Bragg-Reynolds said. "[I] never would have started it and left it had I known it could move."

The Metropolitan Police Department said thefts of unlocked, running cars is a persistent problem.

"You'll see cars running in front of restaurants, at gas stations. It's unfortunately, a common thing that people are doing is leaving their cars running unattended," MPD Lt. Scott Dowling said.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the number of car thefts nationwide has steadily increased since 2019, and in 2023, more than 1 million cars were stolen across the country.

For Bragg-Reynolds, his car was eventually recovered in Baltimore, but it turned out to be an expensive lesson to learn.

"They took it for a joy ride, apparently. It was several days before I actually got the car. There was quite a bit of damage, $5,000 worth of damage to the car," Bragg-Reynolds said.

Automakers recommend drivers check their car owner's manual for alternative options, such as a remote start feature that will not allow a car to move without a key fob. They also warn drivers to never start a car and walk away, even with a key fob.

The MPD also suggests drivers keep a tracking device such as an Apple AirTag or Tile inside their vehicle, so if a car does get stolen, authorities can use the device and track down a car's location. Some local police departments, including the MPD, offer free tracking devices for the public.