Armed thieves were caught on video stealing an Arizona man's truck

MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. – Having a wireless key fob for your car has its advantages, but a new trend in car thefts is using this technology to unlock cars.

Apparently the thieves are using a device to amplify the key fob's radio signal and use that signal to unlock it car.

It just happened to at least two families in the West Valley neighborhood of Waddell. In one of the cases, the thieves were armed and aimed a rifle at a house.

“Shocked, you know? I can’t believe this happened to me,” said resident Michael Florant.

He woke up Wednesday morning to a worrying message on his phone.

“This morning I woke up and heard a message on my phone that my truck had been opened without a key. So I told my wife and she said, 'Well, I just saw a report on social media in the neighborhood that someone lost their key.' Truck stolen.' “So I came out, opened my garage door and my truck was gone,” Florant said.

Florant took a look at his Ring camera footage from the night and saw four people in what appeared to be a white Chevy Camaro pull up to his house just before 2:30 a.m., turn off the horn and steal his GMC truck.

“They were gone in five minutes. The one who turned off the horn of the AK-47 that was pointing that way in case I came out,” Florant said. “They didn’t care if they got caught, they didn’t care if they were on camera, the camera was right above them. The lights, they were lit and filmed the whole time. They wore hoods, gloves, that.” whole works.

Ring video footage shared by another resident in the area shows her truck being stolen from Florant's driveway minutes after the theft.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office confirmed it is investigating the theft, and while Florant isn't overly optimistic that his truck will show up, he says he wants other residents to be warned about this trend.

“I really wish I had bought an aftermarket tracking device, so I recommend everyone do that because it's not something they would be looking for,” Florant said.

Florant also offered advice to residents who may see a theft on surveillance cameras and may consider confronting the thieves.

“If you have video footage and you see it happening, just make sure you record it and it's honestly not worth it. It’s just stuff,” he said.

Store your key fob in one Faraday bag Or using a physical steering wheel lock can help you protect your vehicle from theft. It's also a good idea to stay informed about how technology can be used as a tool in these thefts.