by Modern Thieves Use Technology to Steal Cars
Once, stealing a car meant knowing how to use lock picks and wires, which required effort, noise, and courage. Today, thieves face more advanced security systems, so they have replaced traditional tools with digital devices. In many cases, they don’t even need to touch the car to get inside.
Police Urge Caution
After two high-tech thefts in California, police are urging residents to be more vigilant about their keys, even if the fobs never leave the house. According to authorities, the recent wave of thefts in the state shows that criminals are using wireless relay devices and tablet-like hacking tools to bypass modern security systems, often targeting luxury cars.
How Do Thieves Break Into Cars?
Surveillance footage shows a suspect approaching a home entrance holding a primitive antenna. The device intercepted the signal from a key fob inside the house, amplified it, and transmitted it to another person standing near the car in the driveway. After that, the thieves were able to open the doors, get into the car, start it, and drive away. The victim noted:
Who would have thought that someone would come with an antenna and take your car?
A few days later, a nearly identical incident was recorded in Lake Forest. The video shows a masked suspect scanning a driveway with the same type of antenna, and soon the sound of the stolen car’s engine starting is heard.
Digital Thieves’ Tools
Anaheim Police Sergeant Matt Satter reported that detectives are investigating at least two additional cases from the same weekend. Antennas are not the only problem. Another pair of thieves recently smashed the rear window of a truck, climbed inside, and then connected a tablet-like hacking tool to the vehicle’s OBD port to reprogram the ignition and start the engine instantly. Due to the tinted glass, it remained almost undamaged, making the break-in even quieter on the recording.
How to Protect Your Car
Police recommend several simple security measures. First, do not leave key fobs near doors or windows where a relay device could intercept the signal. Disabling the passive keyless entry system when not needed can also reduce vulnerability. While Faraday bags or even aluminum foil may seem low-tech, they effectively block the key fob signal from the outside.
Additionally, if you have a garage, officers advise using it actively. This last tip is particularly important because in the case of thieves using tablet-like hacking tools, storing the key in a Faraday bag does not help.
These incidents highlight how quickly criminal methods are evolving in response to technological innovations. Car manufacturers may need to reconsider security systems to counter such attacks, and drivers should be vigilant not only about physical threats but also about digital risks. Simple habits like storing keys in special containers or using a garage can significantly reduce the likelihood of theft.
