Keyless car thefts: increased thefts across the county

We have seen an increase in keyless car thefts across the county this month with thefts occurring between the hours of midnight and 4am.  Since the start of the month, we have had vehicles stolen almost every day from locations across the county including Crowland, Boston, Lincoln, Cranwell, Gainsborough and Sleaford. The vehicles stolen were high in value:

• 3 x Lexus
• 2 x BMW
• 2 x Mercedes
• 1 x Porsche Cayenne (attempt theft)

We suspect this may be the work of an organised crime group.

Cars with keyless entry unlock automatically when the key comes within a short distance of the car. This can be from inside a pocket or bag. If you have to push a button on your car key to open your car, you don't have keyless entry.

Keyless car theft or 'relay theft' is when a device is used to fool the car into thinking the key is close by. This unlocks the car and starts the ignition which means they only need to be within a few metres of your car key to capture the signal, even if it’s inside your home. This means that even if your car and home are secure, thieves can still unlock, start and steal your car.

Thieves often make use of cars with cloned number plates to travel the country using what are referred to as ‘jamming devices’ to block wireless signals used for CCTV and vehicle tracking devices.

Colleagues at West Midlands Police have created a video to show how quickly a theft can take place.

How to protect your keyless entry car:

• When at home keep your car key (and the spare key) well away from the car.
• Put the keys in a screened or signal-blocking pouch, such as a Faraday Bag. We recommend purchasing from a reputable supplier as we are aware of instances where such pouches have been purchased but have no signal-blocking ability.
• Reprogramme your keys if you buy a second-hand car.
• Turn off wireless signals on your fob when it's not being used. 
• Make use of physical security measures such as steering or pedal locks and park cars in garages where feasible.

People are asked to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. 

Lincolnshire Police are actively patrolling the roads and neighbour hoods and have recently recovered a number of stolen vehicles and arrested individuals.

More information about preventing car and vehicle theft and checking before buying a potential cloned car can be found here Preventing car and vehicle theft | Crime Prevention | Police.uk