Cars are at risk of being stolen in seconds thanks to keyless car theft. A loophole in the system means thieves can open and start cars without using the key.
What Car magazine tested seven different car models fitted with keyless entry and start systems.
A DS 3 Crossback and Audi TT RS were taken in 10 seconds, and a Land Rover Discovery Sport TD4 180 HSE in 30.
Figures which were released from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) in June show that the number of motor theft claims paid by insurers in the first quarter of this year were at their highest for any quarter since 2012.
There have been a number of thefts involving keyless entry in south Wales, including incidents where thieves have stolen work vans and blackmailed the owners to get them returned .
Recently a woman had her car stolen from the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant after taking a relative there for treatment, and suspects her keyless fob system was hacked .
There have also been other thefts from Welsh hospitals including more recently affecting staff at the Royal Glamorgan .
How does keyless theft work?
ABI said thieves took advantage of a vulnerability in the keyless technology by targeting cars parked close to the owner’s house – where the car key is usually kept.
Car thieves work in pairs in relay attacks. One criminal will hold an amplification device up against the front wall of a home searching for a signal from the keyless fob. The device then relays the key’s signal to an accomplice, who is holding another device against the car door.
This fools the vehicle’s keyless entry system into thinking that the key is close by (usually these keys have a range of two meters), enabling one of the thieves to gain entry to the car.
How to reduce the risk of car theft
You can reduce the risk of car theft by parking your car in a well-lit area, keeping car keys well away from external doors or windows and turning off the signal overnight, or by keeping the keys in a signal-block pouch.
What do South Wales Police say?
South Wales Police said people should keep their keys away from entry points to their home.
If they have a keyless device they should place it in a metal box or specialised pouch to avoid a scanner being used.
Drivers can also use a steering lock as a visible deterrent to thieves and, if they have a garage, use it to park their vehicle in – if it’s out of sight it’s not as tempting to thieves.
