29 August 2023

Everyone deserves to feel like their car is secure when not in use. However, some keyless entry systems have provided a weakness in modern cars that thieves can take full advantage of. More than 101,000 cars were stolen in 2021, with many of these cases being attributed to keyless car theft.

Although we’d like to think that car theft is a thing of the past with immobilisers and alarms, this is not the case and is still a concern for car owners today. So, we want to make you aware of things that you can do to help prevent your car falling victim to keyless car theft. These are…

• Keep your keys away from your car as it will make it harder for thieves to detect and amplify your key signal.
• Store your keys in a metal container or a signal-blocking wallet to block key signal.
• Always check that your car is locked.
• Invest in a steering wheel lock - these provide a visual form of protection, as well as adding extra time to how long it will take for someone to steal your car.
• Physical measures could include blocking your car in with a second card that does not have keyless entry if you are a two car household, or fitting a lockable post to your driveway. Other physical measures include wheel clamps or pedal boxes.
• Add a tracking device - this will not stop your car being stolen, but it will increase the chance of the police locating the vehicle.
• Ask your car dealer if there have been any software updates that can help secure your vehicle against keyless car theft.
• Look into turning your car’s keyless entry off.

Keyless car technology is becoming more popular in cars today, with even affordable models now often having a keyless system in place.

If you have the keyless system in your car, you need to be aware that the technology will not automatically switch off when the car no longer detects the key, due to safety reasons. This means someone can continue to drive your car even when the system detects the key is missing, once the car is switched off it will not restart until the key is detected again.

It is also important for car owners to know which cars are more likely to be targeted due to monetary value. Recent reports have shown an increase of Ford Fiesta thefts rising by 53% in 2022, making it the most stolen car in the UK - 5,979 were reported stolen, compared to 3,909 in 2021.

There are over 1.5 million Fiestas registered on the road, so it’s not surprising that it has ranked as the most stolen car in the UK. Also, with Ford indicating last year that they will stop producing them, this would result in the price of Fiesta parts increasing, which could make Ford Fiesta a higher risk to car thefts.

Other cars that are high risk of being stolen include:
• Range Rover
• Ford Focus
• VW Golf
• Land Rover Discovery
• BMW 3 Series
• Mercades C Class
• Vauxhall Corsa
• Vauxhall Astra
• Mercades E Class

It’s worthwhile looking into how you as a car owner can help prevent your car being stolen.


Written by: Amy Johnson

*Please note that the above information has been gathered through secondary research. The information provided is not based on our opinion. You should seek further guidance and information before making an informed decision.

Sources:
https://www.motoringresearch.com/advice/keyless-car-theft-how-to-prevent/
https://www.driving.org/ford-fiesta-thefts-skyrocket-by-53-in-2022-becomes-most-stolen-car-in-the-uk/
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-11893909/Warning-motorists-thieves-strip-family-cars-UK-region-Heres-protect-vehicle.html
https://www.carwow.co.uk/blog/keyless-car-theft-prevention