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Keyless cars now make up half of all vehicles stolen despite being 1 per cent of cars on the road.
Thieves use new technology to target owners with widely available signal relay devices that tricks the car into thinking the correct key is present by amplifying its signal.
Once thieves gain access to the vehicle, it can be started and moved in seconds.
Insurance claims for car thefts grew by 20 per cent each year between 2016 and 2019. And keyless vehicles account for an ever-increasing proportion of claims, according to data from LV= Insurers.
Tesla, Lexus, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Jaguar, and Land Rover cars are among the brands increasingly targeted by keyless car thieves.
Thefts of keyless vehicles now account for nearly 50 per cent of all car thefts, according to data from LV= Insurers (stock image)
Managing Director of LV= Heather Smith said: ‘With keyless cars, car technology continues to advance.
‘But unfortunately so do the methods criminals use to steal them, so consumers need to keep on top of new innovations and take extra precautions to ensure they stay one step ahead of criminals who may try and take advantage of them, and their cars.
‘The police can only do so much, so it’s vital that drivers do everything they can to protect their vehicle, especially those driving a luxury or prestige car that is likely to attract attention.
‘Most car theft happens near people’s homes, but with a better understanding of the technology and a few simple security measures, you can make your car a lot less appealing to thieves.’
Theft from cars, involving the theft of parts or possessions from vehicles, has also risen sharply since 2016 – soaring up 140 per cent.
This has primarily been driven by one increasingly attractive part to thieves – the catalytic converter.
It is being stolen for its precious metals – copper, nickel, cerium, iron and manganese – with hybrid vehicles and luxury brands most regularly targeted.
Vehicle crime has increased across the UK’s main metropolitan areas, with London, Birmingham, Nottingham and Greater Manchester seeing the biggest spikes in the last four years.
London has seen the biggest rise, seeing claims rise by 265 per cent since 2016.
Birmingham, Nottingham, and Greater Manchester have seen increases of over 100 per cent.
Car thefts dropped during the pandemic but rose as restrictions eased in the spring and saw a 3.1 per cent increase between May and June this year.
Thefts increased from 6,513 in May to 6,740 in June, according to provisional data from the National Police Chief’s Council.
Last week, TV Presenter Giles Coren’s keyless Jaguar I-Pace was stolen from north London for the second time after it pinched from outside his north London home in April.
He suffered the same fate despite following instructions from the manufacturer and paying out £3,000 for a new tracking system.
Coren’s beloved £65,000 eco-Jag was recovered by Metropolitan police on Friday – 24 hours after detectives closed the case due to a lack of evidence.
It came days after police warned car owners over the rise in keyless thefts as gang was jailed for 23 years for stealing high-performance motors worth £2.6million.
A keyless car theft gang have been jailed for 23 years for stealing high-performance motors worth £2.6million. Pictured: CCTV footage shows the thieves stealing a BMW from a house in Liverpool
The group frequently used cloned wireless key signals to open the doors of cars parked on drives across Merseyside, Cheshire and Lancashire – therefore avoiding the need to break into houses to steal key fobs.
In total, the gang were responsible for 162 burglaries, thefts and attempted burglaries.
Around £2.6million-worth of cars, jewellery and other luxury items was stolen, police said. The vehicles included Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes, Land Rover and Mini models.
Seven gang members were sentenced to a total of 23 years and three months in prison at Liverpool Crown court on July 9.
Lewis Tankard, 20, (left) of Huyton, was jailed for five years and seven months for conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to steal motor vehicles. Stephen Hooten, 29, (right) of Craigburn Road, Tuebrook, was sentenced to five years and two months for conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to steal motor vehicles
Neil O’Brien, 19, (left) of Knotty Ash, was jailed for six years in prison for conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to steal motor vehicles. Noah Hassan, 29, (right) was sentenced to four years and nine months for conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to steal motor vehicles
Detective Sergeant Darren Hankin of Operation Castle – a dedicated burglary team – said: ‘Theft offences we investigated as part of this operation were keyless entries, something we have seen emerging in recent months in Merseyside and elsewhere.
‘As well as the undoubted deterrent of today’s sentences, we’re keen to educate owners of keyless cars on some simple, inexpensive steps they can take to minimise the chances of their cars being stolen in this way.
‘While keeping your keyless entry fobs out of sight or hidden is recommended, it does not necessarily stop it from being cloned.
‘We are asking car owners to consider investing in a Faraday Bag/signal blocking case for their keys.
‘They block the signal from the fob, are relatively inexpensive – costing as little as around £5 – and are widely available online.
‘It is important however to research the product you are buying and once purchased check that they effectively block the signal by trying to open your car while the key is in the bag or case.
‘Additional physical security devices, such as mechanical steering locks, driveway posts, wheel clamps and trackers are also effective in protecting vehicles from thieves.
‘If you have a vehicle that is not keyless, it would be advisable to park this in front of the keyless vehicle.’
Source: dailymail
