The Erie County Sheriff's Office advised residents in the Town of Clarence on Friday to be extra vigilant for vehicle thefts.
Sheriff John Garcia said in a news release that 11 vehicles were reported stolen within the town during the four-day stretch of July 18-21. Of the 11, seven were recovered in the City of Buffalo, three were recovered in Clarence and one remains missing. A separate unoccupied vehicle that was reported stolen from Buffalo also was recovered during this time on Greiner Road in Clarence.
To combat this rash of thefts, Garcia launched Operation Key Fob this month, which he said is a "multi-agency task force" that "seeks to recover stolen vehicles and effectuate arrests when possible." So far, there have been 37 vehicle recoveries and 10 arrests.
The operation's name comes from the key fob cloning devices that are being used in many of these thefts. Garcia said the devices allow for the operation of push-start vehicles without the appropriate key fob being in the vehicle.
Four such cloning devices were recovered in a residence during the arrests of three individuals in connection to a recent car theft.
Xavier Cedeno, 20, of Buffalo, David Mercado-Calderoa, 18, of Buffalo, and one adolescent offender were each charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, possession of burglar tools, and third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle. They were issued appearance tickets and released.
Garcia advised motorists to make sure they continue to lock their cars and take the keys with them, but he acknowledged the added layer of challenge these cloning devices present.
"Residents should consider parking their vehicles in a garage whenever possible," he said in the statement. "Using a steering wheel locking device also provides a layer of protection."