Relay theft: Mum's warning over criminals targeting keyless cars

Mrs Baxter was looking after her two-week-old baby when her car was stolen

By Emily Ford & David Allard

BBC News

A mother has spoken about the "creepy" moment a thief was able to steal her keyless car.

Sarah Baxter, from Henley, was feeding her baby in the early hours when her Mercedes was stolen earlier this month.

Keyless car systems require a fob for the car to sense and open, rather than a key to unlock it physically.

The man who stole Mrs Baxter's car used a technique called relay theft, where a metal hoop is used to detect and amplify a fob's signal.

A man was caught on Ms Baxter's doorbell camera with a metal loop used to boost a key fob's signal

This technique means thieves do not need to steal a key or break into a property, instead they can use a cable loop near doors and windows of a house to find a fob's signal.

It comes after the AA said figures for car thefts were "in danger of getting out of control".

The motoring organisation is urging police to take action after Home Office figures revealed 130,389 cars were reported stolen in 2022 - an increase of 26% compared to the 104,435 reported in 2021.

Mrs Baxter discovered thieves had used the relay attack technique after her doorbell CCTV captured a man approaching her home.

Image source, Sarah Baxter

Mrs Baxter's Mercedes was one of nine vehicles reported stolen in the Henley area at the start of May

She said: "So you can see a gentleman approaching our side door and he holds up something, like a big cable loop - it looks like a kind of a broken hula hoop - to detect the keys and then amplify the radar of this keyless system to then make the car think the key is next to it and then unlock the car and start the engine."

Mrs Baxter's Mercedes was one of nine vehicles targeted by thieves in the Henley area at the start of May.

"I was up and down every few hours, as you are with a two-week-old, and I was actually awake when the car was taken.

"It just feels a bit creepy because the window was open and he was right below doing that - it just feels more intrusive."

Thames Valley Police said it was conducting a thorough investigation into the theft of Mrs Baxter's car, and that it had increased active patrols in the area in an attempt to catch the offenders.

What is relay theft?

The AA said figures for high-value vehicles being stolen is on the rise, as criminal gangs are using sophisticated electronic devices to override the car's security.

Explaining relay thefts, the motoring organisation said: "It only takes two thieves and a bit of tech to fool your car into thinking you're still standing next to it with the key in your pocket.

"One, close to the car, captures the low-power signal from your car and relays it to a device carried by another, close to you. The signal from the key to unlock the car and start the engine is relayed back."

Thieves can also access a vehicle's On Board Diagnostic (OBD) port - a standard socket fitted to all cars for garages to plug in their fault-finding equipment and 'jamming' is another problem.

This involves thieves targeting specific vehicles using a transmitter to block the signal from your key when you point it at your car to lock it, so you think it's locked but it is not.

The AA has published a list of suggestions to improve car security on its website.

Jack Cousens from the AA said the technology thieves were using had become much more advanced in recent years

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, said while car manufacturers are constantly improving security systems, thieves are keeping pace with a variety of high tech methods to bypass them.

He explained: "They're using relay thefts, but also doing key cloning, signal blockings, all sorts of clever advanced technology.

"We need to see more of an effort from manufacturers to tighten their security. We also need police crime commissioners and the police to make car crime higher up on their agenda in terms of tackling this issue.

"But also consumers can take some responsibility as well in terms of making their car really difficult to steal."

Ryan Gilmore said keyless car owners can buy a Faraday device that can protect the key's signal from relay attacks

Ryan Gilmore, from Car Magazine, said steering wheel locks work well for keyless cars, but the "vital" item to improve security is a Faraday box.

"These devices are simple boxes or pouches you put your car keys into and it basically limits any signal entering or leaving," he said.

Mr Gilmore said this meant thieves attempting a relay attack would have no way of penetrating the Faraday box and accessing the car.

He urged keyless car owners to take extra measures because, while car companies were introducing features to help, "on the whole it's a very easy system for anybody to get hold of and access".

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