My wife's car has one of those funky keys that you have to get from the dealer, and she thought she lost hers a while back, so I called the dealer and they told me I had to have ID and the registration when I came in for a new key.

 

I used to work at a horse racing track...I actually used to work on the roof by the judges and monitored the encryption of the race being sent from CA to NV (at that time there was absolutely no satellite feeds in CA due to gambling laws).

Anyway, the cops would stand up there and watch for car theives. The thevies would get in the cars, carefully pop the ignition and slide a new one in....then drive off the lot. They were so good at it you couldn't tell it had been done...the cops would stop them but couldn't really argue with a guy that appeared to have the key to the car. So there was nothing they could do.
Getting the keys based on the VIN...not surprising. There are reasons I have insurance [sm=exactly.gif]

 

I had to have a key made like this a few years ago but the dealer MADE me bring in a title for the car before they would do it.I spose though that someone could copy one and change the info on a CPU.