Shortly After Couple's Test Drives, the Vehicles Vanished

Car dealerships in three states were targeted by thieves who asked for test drives, then swapped or copied vehicle key fobs in less than a minute. Police in Old Saybrook, Conn., say a man and woman spent more than a year visiting dealerships while posing as customers interested in luxury pickups and other high-end vehicles. The man would ask to start a vehicle, then either swap the working key fob for a fake one or, in some cases, hand the fob to the woman, who allegedly used a handheld device to clone the data in seconds, reports the New York Times. The tested vehicle was later stolen, or there was an attempt to steal it, sometimes the very next day.

Investigators say at least 20 vehicles worth more than $2.4 million were stolen or targeted at dealerships in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. The Old Saybrook investigation began after two GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali Ultimate trucks, together valued at $177,210, vanished from a local dealership in February 2025, just two days after the couple looked at them, per CT Insider. In that case, the original fobs remained with the dealership. Similar incidents were then tied to other lots, including a Ford dealership in Glastonbury, Conn., and a case in Keyport, NJ.

An expert from the National Insurance Crime Bureau told investigators that key-fob clones can be created in less than 60 seconds by connecting a device to a car's diagnostic port. Authorities have charged 37-year-old Tiffine Kyte of Johnstown, Pa., with larceny and conspiracy in connection with the scheme. She was arrested in New Jersey and brought to Connecticut on Jan. 15, then released on bonds totaling $375,000 in two separate cases, according to court records. Detectives say cellphone data placed Kyte near multiple thefts across the three states. The male suspect has not been identified. He gave his name as "Dexter" and wore a UPS uniform, per CT Insider.