Table of Contents
1. Keep your key fob away from your vehicle and store it in a Faraday wallet.
To best protect against keyless car theft, always place the remote control as far away from the vehicle as possible and store it in a location that is not near doors or windows on your property.
Halfords sells Faraday bags for £5
Even keeping them upstairs or in a room that is the furthest distance from your driveway will not ensure that a criminal using relay tactics cannot infiltrate the signal.
For the best level of protection, car owners with keyless technology should purchase a Faraday bag or wallet.
You can buy them online for as little as £5. They isolate the signal from the key fob so thieves can’t replicate it.
Metal cans and boxes will also provide similar levels of protection, as will keeping the keychain in a refrigerator, freezer, microwave, or oven; just remember they are there before you turn on the last two.
Also, don’t forget about spare keys and apply the same level of care as you would to your main keys or remote control.
Keeping your keyless remote in a can will block the signal and prevent thieves from duplicating it to get into your vehicle.
2. Invest in additional anti-theft protection
A simple steering wheel lock or wheel clamp may look ugly, but they are a great tool to deter even the toughest and most high-tech criminals.
They will act as a visual deterrent to thieves who are likely to avoid them.
For a criminal to remove the steering wheel lock typically requires the use of noisy drills or saws to cut through and is therefore the ideal first line of defense for owners of models that have keyless car technology.
Drivers should also consider installing wheel clamps, as well as alarm systems and trackers (read more about these below).
Van owners with keyless technology should also consider installing locks for additional protection, especially if they store expensive tools and items in their commercial vehicles overnight.
3. Be careful when closing doors
It may seem simple, but always make sure your vehicle is locked every time you leave it, especially in busy car parks where thieves often use signal jammers.
Many drivers also don’t realize that on some vehicle models, if you press the remote control just once, your car will only lock once.
This means that if you broke the window, you could open the car manually by reaching in and pulling the handle from the inside.
To double lock, key fobs may require a second press of the lock button to activate all security features. It’s important to read your car’s manual when you first receive it and familiarize yourself with how to lock it safely when you’re not in it.
4. Think carefully about where you park overnight
Most of the time, keyless car thefts occur in the owners’ driveways. While drivers might think that having their vehicle so close to their property ensures its safety, this is not the case when it comes to relay thefts; In fact, quite the opposite, as it means the car is closer to where your keys are. inside your home.
That’s why off-street parking owners should consider additional measures.
Driveway parking stalls are an inexpensive but effective way to deter potential thieves.
Drivers can also go a step further and install locking gates at their entrance, while simple CCTV systems can provide added peace of mind.
Luxury cars, which are at greater risk of theft, should be parked in a closed garage whenever possible.
For those who do not have off-street parking and leave their cars on the street outside their home, you are not safe from these criminals either.
Consider parking further away from your property than usual and try to find a space under a streetlight so that thieves will be exposed when they try to steal your car at night.
If you live on a residential street where there are also businesses, park outside one that has a CCTV camera installed.
5. Install a tracking device in your car
Installing a tracking system on your vehicle, such as a Thatcham approved device, offers an extra layer of security.
A tracking device will not prevent your vehicle from being stolen, but it significantly increases the chances that the police will recover it and return it to you.
They cost between £250 and £800 and the most secure ones use military-grade technology to locate the whereabouts of cars.
