Concerns are growing that crooks have discovered a brand new opportunity to steal vehicles after a household’s Volvo was keyed regardless of whether the keys were in a theft-proof pouch 20 fingers away from their home.
Father-of-three Wayne Thompson, 47, from Enfield, London, kept the keys to the household’s £46,000 Volvo XC90 in a Faraday bag 20 fingers from the front door.
However, a welfare and safety adviser was shocked to see two crooks steal his car in the course of an evening using a CCTV sign trick earlier this month.
Also, Harry Goaman, 25, from Clapham South, arrived here last month to find his £21,000 second-hand Mercedes C-Class coupe stolen by thieves using a relay trick despite having the keys to the car. cabinet drawer with 10 fingers in his dwelling.
Mr. Goaman also captured the crime on a digital camera. Three black-clad thugs with balaclavas over their faces casually walked around, stealing his luxury car in less than 30 seconds. In each case, the Met said there were no “more realistic lines of inquiry”.
Both Mr Thompson and Mr Goaman have been amazed at how easily thieves have been able to steal their vehicles, despite taking precautions against it.
Concerns are growing that crooks have discovered a brand new way to steal vehicles after a collection of car thefts using a relay trick.
Father-of-three Wayne Thompson, 47, from Enfield, London, kept the keys to the household’s £46,000 Volvo XC90 (proper) in a Faraday pouch 20 fingers from the front door.
Mr Thompson advised MailOnline: ‘We are shocked that this has happened. The keys have been in the kitchen in a Faraday bag.
Mr Thompson advised MailOnline:“We are shocked that this happened. The keys were in the kitchen in a Faraday bag.
What are car manufacturers doing to prevent this? They do nothing to help us.
“We have to think about locking the wheels or a pole in front of the car.”
He said the wily thieves even fooled the GPS tracker into indicating the car was still on the road.
He said the theft left his three children, one of whom is autistic, in a panic.
His partner Victoria, 44, said: “It has affected our daughter more because she thinks someone is coming into the house. Everyone pays for it in one way or another.
“You blame yourself, but we thought a Faraday bag at the back of the house would do. I’m sorry I bought another car because I’m afraid it will get stolen again.
Harry Goaman, 25, from south Clapham, came home last month to find his used £21,000 Mercedes C-Class coupe had been taken by thieves using a relay trick, even though the car keys were in a cupboard drawer 10ft away in his cabin. house
Although the thieves were not close to the door, they were able to break into the car using a super strong signal
Relay theft is a way for thieves to break into cars in seconds without using brute force or demanding the key, using electronic key fobs. Partly because of this type of theft, the number of car thefts increased by a quarter last year
Relay theft is a way for thieves to break into cars in seconds without using brute force or demanding the key, using electronic key fobs. Partly because of this type of theft, the number of car thefts increased by a quarter last year.
In relay thefts, criminals simply stand outside a home with their car parked outside and then use a device called a keyless repeater, which works by extending the limited range of a regular keyless fob.
This makes the car think the remote is closer than it is, allowing criminals to remotely unlock it and steal the car and valuables left inside.
Goaman told MailOnline that his car was stolen at around 5am, but as he was cycling to work, he discovered the car was gone by that afternoon.
He said: “I was shocked at how pathetically easy it is to steal these cars.
They didn’t even come to the door.
(The police did not ask for the footage and closed the case within five minutes of the phone call on the grounds that they had nothing to go on.
“They obviously don’t investigate. It seems amazing that serious criminal gangs can regularly steal cars with very little effort to trace them.
‘It was just amazing how cheeky and calm they were. They were in no hurry.
In the case of relay theft, criminals simply stand outside a home with a car parked outside and then use a device called a keyless repeater, which works by extending the limited range of a normal keyless fob.
This tricks the car into thinking the remote is closer than it is, allowing criminals to remotely unlock it and steal the car and any valuables left inside.
The cost of car theft to insurers has quadrupled from £360m in 2006 to £1.54bn in just 16 years.
“They had little or no fear of being caught in the act, as there have been a hundred a day.”
The cost of car theft to insurers has quadrupled from £360m in 2006 to £1.54bn in just 16 years.
Former police detective Philip Swift is Head of Claims, Management and Adjusting at the UK’s leading specialist motor insurance claims adjuster.
He told MailOnline that when he worked with some of the police forces on car thefts, he claims it was “like you were banging your head against a brick wall”.
He said: “Until everyone starts working together, this will continue.
“I don’t think it’s going to be easy to overcome until the manufacturers fix the flaws.
“It’s frustrating because (the police) can be significantly better.
“There are things that can be done, but they take a lot of time.”
Mr Swift said the police, manufacturers, monitoring firms, insurance cover firms and even the DVLA could work collectively to stamp out car theft.
He added: “They are all doing their thing, but in isolation.
‘That’s a shame. (There is) so much that could be done and it would be a deterrent”.
Mr Swift recommends putting a GPS tracker in the car or investing in a bollard or barrier to prevent the car from driving away.
The Met Police said: “We recognize the impact of motor vehicle crime on victims, particularly those who rely on vehicles for their work or everyday life.
“Any allegations of crime reported to the police will be reviewed to see if there are viable lines of inquiry, including forensic options that can be pursued.”
Former detective Philip Swift (pictured) heads up Claims, Management and Adjusting, the UK’s leading specialist motor insurance claims adjuster. He told MailOnline that when he dealt with some police departments on car theft claims, it was “like hitting my head against a brick wall”.
A Mercedes representative stated: “All new Mercedes-Benz car keys (Keyless Go) are equipped with a built-in motion sensor, which means that if the key is in a drawer or on a hook and standing still, signals from the key cannot be received. to be kidnapped.
‘Furthermore, all Mercedes-Benz Keyless Go signals can be deactivated by pressing the key lock button twice, which deactivates the signal: they can be reactivated by pressing any button on the key.
“We offer a range of events where customers can learn more about Keyless Go and other vehicle features, including online training videos, owner’s manuals and vehicle handovers.”
Mike Howes, head of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, advised MailOnline: “Car manufacturers are very critical of car security and are consistently introducing new features to try and get a leg up on criminals.
“However, technology can only do so much.
“However, the majority of car crime still involves the unauthorized use of the owner’s keys, and we continue to push forward with a proposal to prevent the open sale of units that have no authorized function but are used by criminals to steal vehicles.’
Volvo did not respond to MailOnline’s request for comment.
