Tow-Away Car Theft

Tow theft occupies a unique position among modern car theft methods. It's low-tech, visible, and seemingly obvious—yet it's remarkably effective, especially for organized theft operations targeting specific vehicles for export or parting out.

The mechanics are straightforward: if you can lift or roll a vehicle, you can take it without starting it. Professional operations use legitimate-looking equipment that draws little suspicion.

Flatbed Method

The cleanest approach uses a flatbed tow truck:

1. Positioning: The truck backs up to the target vehicle, typically in a driveway or street parking spot.
2. Bed deployment: The flatbed tilts and extends to ground level behind or beside the vehicle.
3. Winching: A cable attaches to the vehicle's frame or wheels, and a winch pulls it onto the bed. Wheel dollies may be used if the parking brake or transmission lock prevents rolling.
4. Securing: Straps secure the vehicle to the bed.
5. Departure: The truck drives away with what looks like a legitimate tow.

Time from arrival to departure: 2–4 minutes for an experienced crew. Security cameras show a tow truck loading a car—an unremarkable sight that rarely triggers alarm.

Wheel-Lift Method

Smaller operations may use wheel-lift trucks that grab the front or rear wheels and lift that end off the ground. The vehicle is then towed on its remaining wheels. This is faster than flatbed loading but leaves the vehicle partially visible and is harder to use on all-wheel-drive vehicles without causing damage.

Wheel Dollies

For vehicles with engaged parking brakes or locked transmissions (most modern cars when parked), thieves use wheel dollies—small platforms that slide under the tires and allow the vehicle to roll freely. Some dollies are motorized for faster positioning. This adds 1–2 minutes to the process but overcomes mechanical locks.

Every electronic security measure—factory or aftermarket—is designed to prevent the vehicle from being driven away. If the vehicle doesn't need to be driven, these measures are irrelevant:

The fundamental issue: electronic and mechanical security assumes the thief will attempt to drive the vehicle. Tow theft defeats this assumption by removing the vehicle before driving becomes necessary.

Tow theft is more resource-intensive than electronic methods—it requires a truck, equipment, and visible activity. As a result, it's typically reserved for specific situations:

High-Value Targets

Vehicles worth $100,000+ justify the operational complexity of tow theft. Exotic cars, luxury SUVs, and high-performance vehicles are common targets. These vehicles are often destined for export—shipped to markets where their value is even higher than domestic resale.

Vehicles with Strong Electronic Security

If a vehicle is known to have effective electronic countermeasures—either factory or aftermarket—tow theft becomes the fallback. Thieves may scout a target, attempt electronic methods, fail, and return later with a flatbed.

Export Operations

Organized theft rings that ship vehicles overseas prefer intact vehicles that haven't been started or driven. This avoids triggering GPS trackers immediately and delivers vehicles in "like-new" condition. Tow theft delivers the vehicle without any electronic activity that might create alerts.

Parts Harvesting

Vehicles stolen for parts don't need to run at all. A flatbed delivers the vehicle to a chop shop where it's dismantled. Engine condition is irrelevant; the vehicle's value is in body panels, electronics, catalytic converters, and other components.

Tow theft benefits from a simple truth: tow trucks tow cars. It's an everyday sight that attracts little attention. Thieves exploit this:

• Professional appearance: Many stolen vehicles are taken by trucks that look entirely legitimate—proper livery, uniformed operators, realistic magnetic signs.
• Cover stories: If confronted, operators claim repossession, parking violation, or owner request. These explanations are plausible and difficult to immediately verify.
• Daytime operations: Unlike electronic theft (usually 2–5 AM), some tow operations happen in broad daylight. A tow truck loading a car at 2 PM looks more normal than two people hovering near a car at 3 AM.
• Witness hesitation: Neighbors who see a tow truck often assume it's legitimate and don't intervene. By the time anyone checks, the vehicle is gone.

Since electronic security doesn't address tow theft, prevention requires different approaches:

Physical Access Prevention

• Enclosed garage parking: A vehicle inside a locked garage can't be easily loaded onto a flatbed. This is the most effective prevention—eliminate physical access to the vehicle.
• Gated communities and secured lots: Barriers that prevent tow trucks from reaching the vehicle add significant friction. Not impenetrable, but enough to redirect most operations to easier targets.
• Position and obstacles: Parking tight against walls, posts, or other vehicles can make loading angles impossible or extremely difficult.

Physical Immobilization

• Wheel locks (boots): Devices that clamp around the wheel prevent the vehicle from rolling. This defeats dollies and makes winching onto a flatbed much harder. Not impossible to overcome, but adds substantial time and noise.
• Ground anchors: Some high-value vehicle owners install ground anchors—physical locks that chain the vehicle to an embedded anchor. Effective but requires infrastructure and is impractical for street parking.

Detection and Recovery

If prevention fails, recovery tools become critical:

• GPS trackers: Unlike electronic theft where the vehicle drives away normally (potentially not triggering movement alerts until it's too late), tow theft creates immediate, abnormal movement patterns. A vehicle that's lifted onto a flatbed and transported at highway speed without the ignition on creates a distinctive signature. Well-placed trackers—hidden and preferably battery-powered—can report location even when the vehicle's power is disconnected.
• Tilt/motion sensors: Some alarm and tracking systems include tilt sensors that alert when the vehicle is lifted. This can provide early warning, though response time is still a limiting factor.
• Multiple trackers: Professional thieves know to look for GPS trackers and may disable the obvious one. Hidden secondary trackers increase the chance of recovery.

Deterrence

• Visible security indicators: Signs indicating GPS tracking, security systems, or surveillance may redirect thieves to easier targets. These work best when backed by actual systems.
• Surveillance cameras: Cameras don't prevent theft, but they improve investigation and prosecution. Thieves prefer targets without clear camera coverage.

Thieves generally prefer electronic methods (relay attacks, CAN bus injection, OBD exploitation) because they're faster, less visible, and require less equipment. Tow theft is chosen when:

• Electronic methods fail: The vehicle has effective countermeasures (PIN immobilizer, secure gateway)
• Target is high-value enough: The vehicle's worth justifies the extra effort and equipment
• Export is the goal: Vehicle needs to remain "untouched" for shipping
• No key proximity possible: For relay attacks, the key must be within relay range. Tow theft has no such requirement.
• Opportunistic: A theft ring with a truck may take any valuable vehicle they encounter

If you see a vehicle being towed and suspect theft:

• Note identifying details: Truck company name (often fake), license plate, operator descriptions, direction of travel
• Contact the vehicle owner if known: Ask if they requested a tow
• Report to police: A possible stolen vehicle being towed warrants investigation
• Don't confront directly: Tow theft is often organized crime; confrontation risks personal safety

Response time is critical. The faster authorities are notified, the better the chance of interception.