Figures from stolen vehicle recovery service, Tracker, reveal top of the range vehicles such as Range Rovers and Land Rovers were favoured by thieves in 2022. Most of these vehicles were stolen by hacking the keyless entry system on drivers’ key fobs. So how do you protect your vehicle from keyless theft? And what other measures should you take to keep your car secure?
1.Range Rover Sport
2.Range Rover Autobiography
3.Range Rover Vogue
4.Land Rover discovery
5.Mercedes-Benz C-Class
6.Lexus RX450H
7.Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
8.BMW 3 Series, , Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW X 5, Mercedes-Benz E-Class
9.Range Rover Evoque
10.Land Rover Defender, VW Golf and Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
The Range Rover Sport tops the most stolen cars list in 2022. Tracker says that this is the fourth consecutive year that it’s hit the top spot. According to Tracker, Land Rover and Range Rover account for 42% of all stolen cars recovered by the company in 2022.
New and nearly-new cars aren’t the only targets. Thieves are taking advantage of the global shortage of car parts and creating ‘chop-shops’. These are buildings that hold stolen cars, which are stripped down for parts.
In 2022, police forces uncovered 32 chop shops – a 300% increase since 2021. These vehicles were located using tracker systems, but they found hundreds of vehicles that didn’t have trackers fitted too.
Criminals commit keyless entry theft using a relay device. They hack the constant signal from the fob, open the car and drive away. They can sometimes do this even if the fob is inside the house.
Keyless entry theft continues to challenge car manufacturers. Some have fitted the fobs with a sleep or an off function.
But thieves are still finding a way around this. Tracker reports that 94% of vehicles were stolen without using the owner’s keys in 2022. This is a 14% rise since 2017.
To keep your car secure and to protect against keyless car theft, you have several options including:
The Metropolitan Police advises using an electronic car key security pouch – known as a faraday pouch. The pouch blocks the keyless signal when the fob is inside it.
When storing your keys, keep them out of sight. It’s not unusual for thieves to use a tool and fish for them through a letterbox.
But a multi-layered approach to security is best.
Use traditional security deterrents such as crook locks and wheel clamps to deter criminals and protect their vehicles.
An investment in smart doorbells or a CCTV system can also guard against unwanted visitors.
Alarms and immobilisers are usually fitted as standard for new vehicles. You can also give your car a distinct mark that can be used to identify it.
Though they can’t stop signals being intercepted, tracker systems can increase the chances of your car being recovered and returned to the police.
In the event of a theft, stolen vehicle tracking technology will significantly help police quickly locate the vehicle and return it to its rightful owner before it’s sold on, broken down for parts or shipped abroad.
