Keyless car theft is currently a complete widespread phenomenon across the UK. Thieves have found ways of starting cars with keyless entry fobs without even physically having access to the key itself.
Here is how to protect yourself from having your keyless car stolen in mere seconds, without necessarily breaking the bank. Gone are the days of homes being burgled to snatch keys, or a car thief having to smash the window and hotwire the car to make a getaway.
Just watch this terrifying theft caught on CCTV:
Scary, isn’t it? The criminal on the right, standing next to the house, is holding up what is effectively a signal amplifier. Car keys of cars with keyless entry systems emit a signal when the key is near to the car, which unlocks the doors.
If the car is also a “keyless start” car, then no key is needed to turn the car on. By using a signal amplifier, the criminal can extend the range of the key far enough that the car can be unlocked and started, all while they have no access to the key. Keyless start cars are the most at risk because of how relatively easy they are to steal. If you own a newer German car such as a BMW 3 series, there is a good chance your car has keyless ignition. Other commonly stolen cars with keyless entry include the Range Rover Sport and Range Rover.
- How Can I Prevent My Keyless Car Being Stolen?
- What Will Happen If A Thief Tries Stealing From A Well Protected Home?
- Conclusion – Car Theft Isn’t Going Anywhere
How Can I Prevent My Keyless Car Being Stolen?
Luckily, there are quite a few measures you can take to help prevent your car with keyless entry from being stolen as easily. Some of these car theft prevention measures are not only applicable to keyless entry cars, but also all other cars and small commercial vehicles too.
Faraday Box / Signal Blocker
Firstly, you can invest in a faraday box for your keys. A good quality faraday box acts as a signal blocker and prevents the car fob’s transceiver from emitting a signal far enough for a signal amplifier to work. This makes your keyless car much more difficult to get into for criminals.
They effectively block any incoming or outgoing signals from the box altogether, making this type of robbery considerably more difficult. There are also faraday pouches which aim to perform a similar thing, but be careful with both of these purchases.
There are many low quality, potentially unsuitable products currently for sale. It’s definitely worth paying a bit extra and having the peace of mind that your car truly is protected.
What If Thieves Get My Keyless Entry Car Key?
If thieves get your keyfob to your keyless entry car, you’re definitely in a bit of trouble. This leaves you with fewer options, but there are still a couple of Additional measures you are able to take to try to stop them.
Get a Good Steering Wheel Lock, Eg Stoplock, Disklok
Steering wheel locks in their current form have been around for over 30 years, and they do a very good job at preventing car theft.
Think of it this way – even if thieves armed with a laptop know they are able to break into your keyless car in silence, the risk of having to use hammers and angle grinders at night on your driveway are a huge deterrent. It massively ups the risk factor for car thieves and chances are, they will move on and look for an easier target.
Some of the best steering wheel locks on the UK market include the Stoplock Pro Elite and Disklok. With the Stoplock range mostly coming in at around the £50 mark, it’s one of the most cost effective ways of preventing keyless car theft.
How Does A Stoplock Work?
The Stoplock is a steering wheel lock which has two large steel hooks, which lock around the car’s steering wheel. The bar is fed through the inside of the wheel, creating a secure fit. The bar is designed to be long enough that manoeuvring the car is near impossible, because the bar is so cumbersome – it’s impossible to turn more than the slightest amount because the bar gets in the way, either hitting the roof, window or legs of the car thief.
This means even if your keyless car is broken into, it will be vary difficult for the thieves to drive away with the unlocked car. They will also find it extremely challenging to tow since the steering capabilities are so limited thanks to the locking bar. This means their only option is to take the car away using a vehicle transporter, unless they are equipped with a wide range of power tools.
How Easily Can A Stoplock Be Removed By Thieves?
Car thieves hate Stoplocks. It is technically possible to remove them, but the easiest option is for them to saw through the steering wheel itself to take the bar off. That’s how strong they are. Going through the two hardened steel hooks which lock around the steering wheel requires most likely an angle grinder and a sledgehammer at least. Most car thieves are opportunists, and using a steering wheel lock makes it so that your car isnt seen as an opportunity by thieves.
Get Outdoor Security Cameras To Record Your Driveway
If possible, place an outdoor security camera high up near overlooking where you park. Not only do security cameras act as a deterrent to prevent your car from being stolen, but they also record evidence in the event your keyless car is missing, which can help police gather evidence to help return your car to you.
There are a wide range of wireless outdoor security cameras on the market, most of which are reasonably priced now that the technology is more widely available. Opt for one which is ideally waterproof and has good motion detection, such as the ieGeek 2k outdoor camera, which I reviewed recently.
Invest In An Electric Gate
If you park on your own property overnight, an electric / padlocked gate can act as a fantastic deterrent. A beefy gate combined with some strong brickwork is enough to deter a vast majority of would-be thieves because even if they are able to start the car, it will be a real pain for them to manage to exit the property without destroying the car.
This is obviously quite an expensive fix, but this measure is absolutely worth it if you have the money. Protecting your property in this way not only protects you car, but makes almost all forms of theft much more difficult. Imagine the struggle needed to take a car if you have a 6-foot spiked fence and CCTV all the way around your house.
Fit a GPS Tracker To Your Car
Fitting a GPS tracker to your car means that even if a robber manages to make off with your car, there’s a very slim chance it won’t be possible to track them down and instantly recover your vehicle. Vehicle trackers on the market these days are highly sophisticated and can track your car to extreme accuracy.
According to Expert Market,
the vast majority of vehicle trackers can pinpoint the location of a car or van to a three-metre radius. That’s impressive enough, though some systems are even more accurate and can track a vehicle to within a one-metre radius.
Julia Watts, Expert Market
Install a Ghost Immobiliser
A ghost immobiliser is one of the best ways to prevent a car thief from successfully managing to steal a car. This goes for cars with keyless and non-keyless entry and start features. A ghost immobiliser is essentially an immobilisation system that can be fitted to your car, meaning a unique pin is required to start the car, even if it’s unlocked and they have the key.
The genius part? The pin is actually entered using buttons already in the car’s interior, such as buttons on the steering wheel or dashboard.
It’s almost completely impossible to tell if a car has this system fitted, and there is no way a criminal will be able to figure out how to start the car before police arrive. As Ghost Installations say, “Essentially the only way someone can take your vehicle with the system is to actually tow it away and they still wouldn’t be able to drive the vehicle.”
Bonus Tip – Guard Dog
This is a bonus tip because this is such a fantastic but simultaneously expensive investment. Guard dogs are the bane of many thieves existence. These loveable furry friends are great for the family and provide genuine joy and laughter for families, but at the drop of a pin can instantly switch to attack mode, defending you and your property from trespassers.
A well trained guard dog is expensive, but should also be incredibly valuable to you as a result. They have incredible scent and hearing abilities, and nothing gets past them unnoticed. Combine this with brute strength and power and complete devotion to their owners. What you’re left with is essentially a highly trained bodyguard on a 24/7 shift for you.
Combining all of the tips we have learned today, it’s almost comical to imagine a thief attempting to steal your vehicle with keyless entry.
What Will Happen If A Thief Tries Stealing From A Well Protected Home?
Let’s walk through a potential scenario. The would-be car thieves scale the fence, naively assuming they will figure out how to get the car out. They try to get the key’s signal using an amplifier, but they can’t because it’s in a faraday box.
They then, in an impulsive move, try to break and enter into your property. The moment they start walking round the side of the property, a security light switches on. They panic, hearing the ferocious roars of a guard dog on attack mode. The thieves then quickly scale the fence, never to return again. It’s all caught on CCTV.
Conclusion – Car Theft Isn’t Going Anywhere
In conclusion, keyless car theft is a very serious issue in the UK especially and has been for the last 5 years. This crimewave doesn’t look like it’s going to go away any time soon, so I would highly recommend you invest in at least a couple of the security measures listed above.
Thank you for reading and stay safe.
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