ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – An August example in the Central West End shows a suspect kneeling by the back passenger window of a Dodge Dart and breaking out a window.

An apparent partner in crime pulls up behind as the suspect crawls through the broken window. It’s not quick.

Several minutes pass before the car is stolen using technology.

“Just when you think you get ahead of the curve…” Jim Whyte said, with the Central West End Security Initiative.

Whyte’s group is looking for answers after a rise in thefts involving vehicles other than Kias, which used to be the primary targets.

“What we suspect is using technology to clone or spoof the device that starts the car,” Whyte said.

The North County Police Cooperative reports busting several cases.

Corporal Jim Yim said the latest rings involve “A lot of top models. Dodges were one of the big top models. We’re seeing the Challengers, Chargers, Durangos.”

The device thieves are using is not illegal on its own. It is something mechanics typically use.

“They’ll have a blank key and they’re able to manipulate the system and reprogram this blank key essentially making it the brand-new key for the vehicle,” Corp. Yim added.

Police urge drivers to keep using those steering wheel locks.

“You can see them through a window, and it might discourage a would-be thief,” Whyte said.

FOX 2 reached out to Stellantis, the parent company for Dodge, to see what fixes might be coming.

We haven’t received answers yet. We’ll follow up when we do.