Ohio Moves to Strengthen Laws Against Digital Auto Theft

Columbus, OH – State Representative Andrea White (R-Kettering) today announced that the Ohio House of Representatives has passed House Bill 519, a critical measure aimed at strengthening Ohio’s criminal code to combat the skyrocketing number of vehicle thefts and thefts from vehicles through the use of highly-specialized electronic devices to digitally bypass a vehicle’s keyless entry security and push button ignition systems.

House Bill 519 targets the possession and use of these electronic tools by adding them to the list of criminal tools designated as “prima facie” evidence, that on its face or first view, can allow more cases to actually move forward so that defendants can have their day in court and justice can be fully served. This change equips Ohio law enforcement officials and prosecutors with an additional tool of their own in their effort to prevent and prosecute vehicle thefts and thefts from vehicles. The bill also ensures that mechanics and locksmiths legitimately using these tools in their jobs are exempt from the bill.

In 2024, a motor vehicle was stolen every 37 seconds in the United States -- about 850,000 vehicles. “Those numbers don’t even include the hundreds of thousands of times items are stolen from within cars even when they’re locked,” said Representative White.  “Here in Ohio, we rank 9th in states with the largest number of vehicle thefts."

“This increase in thefts has been fueled by electronic tools, such as key and ignition reprogramming devices. Recently, the Dayton Police Department reached out to me to highlight that our Ohio law related to the use of criminal tools needed strengthened to help ensure individuals and auto theft rings using these devices to steal cars or their contents are held fully accountable and perhaps even deterred from their crime in the first place.”

The bill now moves to the Ohio Senate for further review.