Did you know an estimated 94% of cars stolen in the UK have keyless entry? If you own a car with keyless ignition, or are looking to buy a keyless car, it’s worth considering the safety risks and how to protect yourself from keyless car theft.
The most stolen car of 2022 so far is the Ford Fiesta, according to information released from the DVLA under a freedom of information request.
How Are Keyless Cars Stolen?
The most common form of keyless car theft, which is also the quickest for thieves to pull off, is known as “relay theft”. I go into this process in more detail in my other articles, but in essence relay theft will typically involve two car thieves. One holds a signal amplifier outside of the house, designed to extend the range of the signal that the keyfob inside emits.
While the car thief with the signal amplifier walks around the property trying to pick up a signal, the other stands next to the car with a signal transmitter, which tricks the car into thinking the owner is next to the car. The car thieves can then open your car, start the engine and drive away, all without even having the key in the first place!
Now that we know how keyless cars are easily stolen, lets take a look at the most stolen cars (according to the DVLA) featuring this technology. You’re definitely going to want a faraday box after reading this list…
The 5 Most Stolen Keyless Cars (2022)
1) Ford Fiesta – 5,724 Stolen
Not all Ford Fiestas come with keyless entry, but a lot of the newer models do feature it. I think rather than the Ford Fiesta being super desirable to car thieves, this is number one on the list primarily due to the sheer number of these great little hatchbacks sold in the UK every year. Nevertheless, it’s worth bearing in mind that this popular car tops the list as the number 1 most stolen car in the UK, keyless and non-keyless.
2) Range Rover – 5,209
The data provider unfortunately doesn’t specify which exact models they are referring to, but it’s safe to say that owning a desirable car with keyless entry such as a newer Range Rover Sport is going to make you a prime target of car thieves.
It’s definitely worth taking measures to secure your Range Rover, such as installing a ghost immobiliser or getting a post installed in your driveway. Based on the sales data comparison between Range Rovers and the Ford Fiesta, it is statistically more likely that your Range Rover will be stolen.
3) Ford Focus – 2,048
Third on the list is the Ford Focus. This includes all models, so not all of these will feature keyless entry, but we have to bear in mind that 94% of all stolen cars are keyless.
Many of the newer models of this popular hatchback feature the great convenience of not needing to get your keys out of your pocket every time you approach the car, but this practicality does come at a risk. Over 2000 of these were stolen according to the DVLA this year.
4) VW Golf – 1,959
Another hatchback. I’m starting to notice a theme here! The Volkswagen Golf is a stellar car. It’s classless, well built, efficient and good looking. The issue here is that car thieves seem to like them too. A lot of the MK7 and MK8 VW Golfs come with keyless entry.
If you’re looking at buying a VW Golf, it’s worth checking if this is one of the features and asking whether it’s possible to disable it. A few of my neighbours have Golfs and most of them have opted to use steering locks. Ah, the joys of living in a town.
5) Land Rover Discovery – 1,778
Another great offering from Jaguar Land Rover, the Land Rover Discovery is a capable, well built (debatable) SUV which is perfect for families who live in the countryside. The Discovery has featured keyless entry as an option for over a decade now.
Unfortunately, as with the more luxury-focused Range Rover line, car thieves love these things. They are desirable, expensive, valuable and definitely worth trying to nick for a lot of car thieves. Cars like this fetch a pretty penny on the black market, so it’s essential that you take precautionary measures if you want to make sure your Disco isn’t Disco-vered in CCTV footage of a ram raid.
Which Other Keyless Cars Are Commonly Stolen?
Honorable mentions which didn’t make the top 5 include the Nissan Qashquai, Audi A3, Mercedes C Class and Audi A4. The newer models of these cars all feature keyless entry. Why, oh why did manufacturers decide that keyless entry was a good idea?
If you own a car which features keyless entry, or are looking to buy one, here are some top tips to secure your car, making it more difficult for thieves to steal.
Five Ways To Secure Your Keyless Car
Securing your keyless car doesn’t need to be difficult. Here’s a quick run down of five top tips to counteract car thieves.
- Fit a Ghost Immobiliser – A ghost immobiliser makes your ignition impossible to start without knowing a specific pin which you enter when you want to start the car.
- Invest in a Faraday Box or Pouch – These little boxes are designed to block the signal emitted by your car key, making it much harder for car thieves to attempt to perform relay theft on your vehicle.
- Turn Your Wheel Towards A Curb When Parking – By doing this, you help to make sure that towing your car is much more difficult.
- Park Your Car Under View of a Security Camera – Whether it’s your own security camera pointed at your driveway or a public car park’s camera system, parking within an unblocked sight of a security camera acts as a very good deterrent from car thieves.
- Get A Car Tracker – Car trackers these days are relatively cheap and can be accurate to within a couple of metres. This will definitely help police recover your vehicle if it does get stolen. Most car thieves operate under the assumption that cars which aren’t super expensive typically don’t have a tracker fitted.
Conclusion – The Ford Fiesta and Range Rover Are The Most Stolen Keyless Cars Of 2022.
With 5,724 Fiestas and 5,209 Range Rovers stolen so far this year, it’s definitely worth bearing this information in mind. Now by no means am I going to discourage your from owning or purchasing a car just because it’s on this list, but it is worth paying attention. Knowing that your car is desirable to thieves should be enough motivation to make sure that you take some extra security measures to make sure that your keyless car isn’t stolen.
Important Tip!
Car theft can happen to anyone, especially if you own a keyless car. A close family friend recently had his pride and joy, a (very new) Mercedes E Class estate stolen by car thieves using the “relay theft” method. These criminals knew exactly what they were doing. Not a single person in the house woke up, and their ring doorbell didn’t trigger. Unfortunately, the car was not fitted with a ghost immobiliser and his key’s signal was able to be picked up. Stay safe.
Thank you for reading my article on the most stolen cars in the UK of 2022 so far.
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