GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County police say two men used a handheld key programming device to steal at least 25 cars across the county over a nine-week stretch this summer.
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“Right after it happened, it’s like everybody looks like a suspect,” one victim said.
She said the theft cost her more than the car itself.
“I ended up getting a garage, so I’m having to pay for that,” she said. “Then of course I had to get a new car, which the interest rates are really high now.”
The suspects, 21-year-old Jamal Worley and 20-year-old Ny’Kari Nimes, face more than 90 combined warrants including theft by taking, conspiracy and possession of tools for a crime, according to court records.
Warrants say the pair broke car windows, then used the device to create a working key on the spot and drive off. Every vehicle taken was either an Infiniti or a Nissan Maxima, according to court records.
The thefts hit several Gwinnett apartment complexes, with warrants citing general areas of Lawrenceville, Norcross, Snellville, Lilburn and Duluth. Court records show four separate vehicles were taken from the same stretch of road in Norcross over a single weekend in May.
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Both men remain in custody, according to booking and warrant records.
Locksmiths say the device is meant for professionals working on lost or damaged keys, and some models remain widely available online without a license requirement.
“There’s a couple of things you can do,” said Rene Gaitan, owner of Key Solutions Auto Locksmith. “One, as old school as it sounds, buy one of those locking mechanisms for the steering wheel.”
He added that a hidden kill switch can keep a car from starting even with a working key, and an RFID-blocking box for key fobs can stop thieves from copying a signal from outside the house.
Police have not said whether more victims or suspects are expected.
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