Keyless car theft: how to make it harder
Cars with keyless entry can be opened by thieves who never touch the key. The good news is that the best defences are cheap.
How relay theft works
One thief stands near your house with a device that picks up the signal from the fob indoors. A second device by the car repeats it. The car thinks the key is next to it, unlocks and starts. It takes seconds and makes no noise.
Keep fobs away from the front of the house
A fob on the hall table is the easiest target. Upstairs at the back of the house is better. Do the same with the spare.
Use a signal blocking pouch or tin
A Faraday pouch costs a few pounds and stops the fob's signal completely. Test it by walking up to the car with the fob in the pouch. If the car unlocks, the pouch is no good.
Switch keyless entry off
Many cars let you turn off keyless entry in the settings, and some fobs go to sleep after a button sequence or when they have not moved for a while. The handbook or the dealer can tell you.
Old fashioned still works
A steering wheel lock is visible from the pavement and slow to defeat. Thieves looking for a quick, quiet car tend to move on.
If a key goes missing
Have it deleted from the car. A lost or stolen fob that still works is a bigger risk than any relay device.
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