IGLA pin-code anti-theft system helping stop auto thieves

By Matt Flener

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    CLAY COUNTY, Missouri (KMBC) — KMBC 9 Investigates is keeping you safe with ways to stop car thefts.

More than 1 million vehicles were stolen in the United States last year.

It can take just a few seconds for a thief with a copy of your key fob, jumping in, pressing the start button, then taking off.

But at K-Town customs in Kearney, they’ve started installing a new anti-theft system called IGLA.

“Unless somebody has your pin code, they’re not taking your car,” said K-Town Customs co-owner Alex Baum. “The vehicle is not going to start until you enter a four-digit code, or whatever your code may be.”

The unique code, only you know, uses a vehicle’s existing buttons to punch in a sequence. Thieves don’t know the code, so they cannot start the vehicle even if they have stolen or cloned a key-fob.

At $1,200 for installation, the owners at K-Town Customs claim it’s the latest way to stay ahead of thieves, especially those targeting Kias, Hyundais, or expensive trucks.

“There is a safety net for these $100,000 dollar trucks, or these $40,000 Kias whatever it may be, that you’ve worked your hard-earned money to buy,” said K-Town Customs co-owner Todd Stowe.

Stowe said the technology gives drivers peace of mind while paying about the same as an insurance deductible for installation.

Clay County sheriff’s corporal Megan Blackburn said if don’t have money to install anti-theft technology on your car the sheriff’s office continues to give out steering wheel locks to Kia and Hyundai owners.

Blackburn said she checked with reps at outside agencies, Monday, who’ve seen a decrease in thefts of Kias and Hyundais in recent weeks.

“I don’t know if the decrease is due to these that we’ve been handing out,” she said. “Hopefully that’s what caused it.”

Blackburn also recommended a 9 p.m. routine at your home, making sure your vehicle is locked, valuables like keys and firearms removed from cars. She also warned to never leave a vehicle running, especially as cold weather begins.

If you want to go that extra step to stop a thief, the owners at K-Town Customs say they are ready to help.

“We all have a pin code to access our phone, why not have a pin code to access our cars?” said Baum.

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