Combatting Keyless Car Crime

Extract from Thames Valley Alert, 23rd January 2022

Criminals are changing how they work

With changes in technology, offenders no longer have to enter your house to steal a car. Keyless car crime has become a huge problem with many of the public unaware of the risks.

Top Tips

1. Use your garage – if you have one and it is not stuffed with the garden furniture, the treadmill that never got used, the roll of left over carpet (just in case)
2. Keep your keys safe. Get yourself a Faraday Pouch. For a fiver this blocks the keys signals
3. Keys – can you turn the signal off? Some models do allow for this. Check your manual.
4. Consider a steering lock. Yes I know we thought we got rid of these in the 90’s – but they do work as criminals come equipped to steal with technology rather that tools.

If you see something suspicious call it in on 101 – if very suspicious and you think it is a crime then 999. Cars are targeted by gangs from out of area. They will casually walk around estates trying to get car signals. We are noticing a number of cases where offenders are using cars equipped with scanning equipment to relay car key signals.

Thames Valley Police page on Keyless Car Theft