Jeep thefts surge in La Mesa: Thieves using fob hacking to target autos

February 2026 Articles

East County News Service

Feb. 26, 2026 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa Police Department is sounding the alarm to the community about rising thefts of recent models of Jeeps.

The police department shares that residents in La Mesa as well as surrounding East County neighborhoods need to be informed of a sophisticated spike in vehicle thefts targeting high-end, newer-model Jeeps.

They say that thieves are pivoting from traditional "smash-and-grab" tactics to high-tech electronic hacking that allows them to drive away in a stolen vehicle in under three minutes.

The primary targets are 2020 and newer Jeep Wranglers and Jeep Rubicons.

Unlike older theft methods that involved hotwiring or physical damage, tech-savvy criminals are using portable electronic devices often marketed as locksmith tools to bypass security. By accessing the vehicle's On-Board Diagnostic port, thieves can communicate directly with the car's computer.

Once connected, the device "tricks" the vehicle into thinking a new key is being programmed. Within moments, the thief has a fully functional electronic key fob, allowing them to start the push-to-start engine and drive away without ever having the original key.

San Diego County’s proximity to the international border makes recovery particularly difficult. Authorities note that once a Jeep is stolen in La Mesa or El Cajon, it is often driven directly south.

And while national and state-level car theft rates are finally beginning to cool, data shows targeting in Southern California.

Nationally, overall vehicle thefts dropped by 23% as of early 2026, largely because manufacturers have begun patching the security flaws that previously led to a massive surge in stolen cars. California followed this downward trend with a 26% drop in thefts during the first half of 2025, yet the state remains the second-highest in the country for total theft rates, with more than half of those crimes in Southern California.

Closer to home, although total car thefts in the city of San Diego actually fell by 22% recently, the targeting of Jeep Wranglers as well as Toyota Tacomas has spiked, with theft rates for those models nearly doubling. In 2025, the Jeep Wrangler officially became the most stolen vehicle model in the city, with 193 units taken. Across San Diego County as a whole, authorities reported a total of 10,791 auto thefts.

Accoring to reports, the Jeep Wrangler is currently being targeted at a rate nearly twice that of other SUVs in the San Diego region, largely due to its high resale value for parts and popularity across the border.

Standard alarms are often insufficient against electronic hacking and security experts now recommend a "layered" defense, including:

Using a steering wheel lock like "The Club". While they can be defeated, they are a manual hassle that often forces a tech-focused thief to move to an easier target;
Buying a physical lock for your diagnostic port, preventing thieves from plugging in their reprogramming devices;
Keeping your fobs in Faraday bags or signal-blocking pouches when at home to prevent "relay attacks" where thieves boost the signal from your house to the car;
Parking in well-lit areas or within the direct line of sight of security cameras.

The LMPD asks that if you see anyone loitering near vehicles with tablets or wires, or if you see a vehicle being tampered with, call 9-1-1.

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