Motorists are being warned of the latest advance in car thieves’ techniques, where an electronic device can be used to jam the remote locking system of a vehicle.
The radio frequency for the device is the same frequency used for remote locking systems and it fools motorists into believing their vehicle is locked when it actually isn’t.
In order for the scam to work the criminal operating the tiny remote fob needs to be within close proximity to the car they are targeting, so that it can block the signal from the car key, and relies on the vehicle owner being too distracted to notice their lights don’t flash when they operate the locking mechanism.
Once the driver has moved away from the vehicle the thief is able to gain access and remove any items the car owner believes to be safely stored in the boot.
Vehicle Security expert for Ford, Simon Hurr, said reports of cars being accessed without any evidence of physical damage came to their attention a while ago and this time of year reports of break-ins without any signs of external damage have increased from insurance companies and the police.
He advised that the keyless remote central locking on new Ford vehicles was able to detect the success of a locking command.
Head of the ACPOVCIS, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Hooper, expressed the need for the public to double check their vehicles are locked before walking away from them.
The warning comes in the wake of reports that London is currently experiencing a slight rise in car crime.