Here's the email I got. I checked out as true on Snopes.com

"CAR THIEVES

Just heard this from a friend. Apparently car thieves have yet again found a way around the system and steal your car or truck without any effort at all.

The car thieves peer through the windshield of your car or truck, write down the VIN number from the label on the dash, go into the local dealership for that car brand and request a duplicate key for it from the VIN number.

Car dealerships make up a duplicate key from the VIN number, collect payment from the 'customer' who's really a would-be car thief for making up the duplicate key -- the car thief goes back to your vehicle, inserts the key they've just gotten and off they drive with your car or truck.

They don't have to break in, don't have to damage the vehicle and draw no attention to themselves as all they have to do is to walk up to your car, insert the key and off they go to their chop shop with your vehicle!!!

Can you believe it?

To avoid this from happening to you, simply put opaque tape (like a strip of electrical tape, duct tape or medical tape) across the VIN label located on the dash board. You can't remove the VIN number legally under most state laws, so cover it so that it can't be viewed through the windshield by a car thief.

Anyway, feel free to forward this on before some other car thief steals another car or truck like this."

Here's the link on Snopes that verifies it:

Snopes' story on covering VIN number

__________________

Current:
2014 VW Tiguan SEL 4Motion 43,000 miles.

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (wife's).

Past:
2006 Jetta TDI 135,970 miles. Sold Nov. '13.
1995 E-320 Special Edition. 220,200 miles. Sold Sept. '07.
1987 190-E 16 valve. 153,000 miles. Sold Feb. '06.
1980 300-D 225,000 miles. Donated to the National Kidney Foundation.
1980 240-D manual, 297,500 miles. Totaled by inattentive driver.

while i cannot say this is impossible, the mercedes dealers cannot and will not order duplicate keys without valid identification and current registration for the vehicle in question. but the tape may be a good idea.

that's maybe true in your area but not in mine... vin is all they want... maybe ID but that's it...

__________________
72 W114/M130

RedMeat cartoon

sfloriII, thanks for the info though...

__________________
72 W114/M130

RedMeat cartoon

You should see that they get a copy of this.

__________________
N. Hodges
1994 S350
1987 300 SDL (for sale)

Another "chain" e-mail....

http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/vintheft.html

1. Your dash is not the only location your VIN may be displayed. Many newer cars have a bar-code sticker inside the driver's door, the rear window or even in the engine compartment.

2. Local regulations and laws may prohibit obscuring your VIN. Check with area law enforcement as well as facilities management anywhere you regularly park your car to see if covering your VIN is allowed.

3. Many theft-prevention experts actually recommend that you duplicate your VIN on numerous surfaces throughout your vehicle, including the windows. In order to resell a stolen vehicle (or any of its component parts), a thief must remove all instances of the VIN that identifies it as stolen. A car riddled with VINs would make a very unattractive mark.
The information this chain lacks, combined with the misinformation it has in abundance, make this warning virtually useless. Break this chain.

I rather think that any dealership that issues a key without proof of ownership could be held liable for damages, if the victims are able to determine which dealership served as the unwitting accomplice.

Once knew a SYT who was a parking ticket princess. She covered the VIN so it would be risky to tow or boot her car for the outstanding tickets. I guess she applied for a lost plate occasionally to break that trail. I think she owed thousands, really.

Not that anyone would bother with my 240D, but if someone got a key based on my VIN, it wouldn't turn my lock. I replaced all the locks from parting out my "Old300D".

__________________
'83 240D with 617.952 and 2.88
'01 VW Beetle TDI
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD
'89 Toyota 4x4, needs 2L-T
'78 280Z with L28ET - 12.86@110
Oil Burner Kartel #35

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...oD/bioclip.jpg

A buddy of mine avoided hundredes of dollars in tickets by doing just that. In Washington DC, they simply check the liscense plate. So he got new plates every six months or so and stayed one step ahead of them!

__________________

Current:
2014 VW Tiguan SEL 4Motion 43,000 miles.

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (wife's).

Past:
2006 Jetta TDI 135,970 miles. Sold Nov. '13.
1995 E-320 Special Edition. 220,200 miles. Sold Sept. '07.
1987 190-E 16 valve. 153,000 miles. Sold Feb. '06.
1980 300-D 225,000 miles. Donated to the National Kidney Foundation.
1980 240-D manual, 297,500 miles. Totaled by inattentive driver.

True about dealerships, but indy's have blanks and will cut keys for you. Whether it is stolen with an official MB key or an aftermarket key has debatable relevance ...that said a decent locksmith can open and steal most cars with little effort and no VIN. If someone wants it bad enough, they're going to get it.

Regarding the covering of VIN's to avoid parking fines, etc.: Don't try that in Charleston. Covering your VIN earns you an automatic tow to the Police Impound Lot where you will then pay 1) a hefty fine for covering it and 2) anything you owe before you can have it back.

__________________
1982 Mercedes-Benz 300CD
1982 Mercedes-Benz 240D - stick

DARN!

What can I do if I have the Vin inscribed on all 4 of my windows?!!?!?!?!?

I just ordered a key from my local stealership ($35! ). They wouldn't take the order unless I handed them a copy of the title and my driver's license.

I locked my one and only key in my SD yesterday. I called the dealer again about ordering another key. I offered to bring in paperwork later when picking up the key. They wouldn't (bastards! ) order the key UNTIL I walked in with the title.

I got in later with a coathanger.

__________________
Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)