Police warn organised crime group could be behind spate of keyless car thefts

Officers have seen an increase in keyless car thefts across Lincolnshire this month with thefts occurring between the hours of midnight and 4am.

Vehicles have been stolen almost every day this month from locations including Crowland, Boston, Lincoln, Cranwell, Gainsborough and Sleaford.

Most vehicles stolen were high in value including three Lexus, two BMW, two Mercedes and an attempted theft of a Porsche Cayenne.

“We suspect this may be the work of an organised crime group,” said a force spokesman.

Lincolnshire Police say they are actively patrolling the roads and neighbourhoods and have recently recovered a number of stolen vehicles and arrested individuals.

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 do not have keyless entry.

The spokesman explained: “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 Youtube 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. Police recommend purchasing from a reputable supplier as they 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.

More information about preventing car and vehicle theft and checking before buying a potential cloned car can be found here: https://www.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/keeping-vehicles-safe/preventing-car-vehicle-theft/