Keyless car theft protection

Keyless car theft, often called relay theft, is when thieves use two handheld devices to pick up the signal from your key fob inside your home and pass it to your car on the drive. The car thinks the key is beside it, so it unlocks and starts. It takes under a minute and leaves no broken glass.

The fix is three layers. First, block the key signal by keeping every fob in a Faraday pouch or box, at home and when you are out. Second, add a visible physical lock, such as a steering wheel lock or a pedal lock, which makes the car slower and noisier to take. Third, fit an OBD port lock so nobody can plug in under the dashboard and programme a new key.

Start with a pouch, then add a lock.