1. Keep your key fob away from your vehicle – and keep it in a Faraday wallet
To provide the best protection against keyless car theft, always place the remote as far away from the vehicle as possible and keep it in a place away from any doors or windows on your property.
Halfords sells faraday pouches for £5
Even if you keep them upstairs or in a room furthest from your driveway, there’s no guarantee that a criminal using relay tactics won’t be able to infiltrate the signal.
For the best level of protection, owners of cars with keyless technology should purchase a Faraday pouch or wallet.
You can buy this online for only €5,-. They isolate the key fob’s signal so it can’t be replicated by thieves.
Metal cans and boxes also provide similar levels of protection, as does storing your keychain in a fridge freezer, microwave or oven – remember they’re there before you turn on the latter two.
Don’t forget your spare keys either and be as careful as you would with your master keys or key fob.
Keeping your keyless remote in a tin will block the signal and prevent thieves from duplicating it to break into your vehicle
2. Invest in additional anti-theft protection
A simple steering wheel lock or wheel clamp might look ugly, but it’s a great tool to deter even the hardiest criminals with the most technology.
They will act as a visual deterrent to thieves who are likely to avoid them.
Steering wheel lock removal by a criminal usually requires noisy drills or saws to cut through, making them the ideal first line of defense for owners of models with keyless car technology.
Drivers should also consider wheel clamps, as well as alarm systems and trackers (read more about this below).
Van owners with keyless technology should also consider fitting deadbolts for added protection, especially if they keep expensive tools and items in their commercial vehicles overnight.
3. Be careful when locking the doors
It may sound simple, but always make sure your vehicle is always locked when you leave it – especially in busy parking garages where thieves often use signal blockers.
Many motorists also don’t realize that on some car models, pressing your key fob only once will only lock your car once.
This means that if you smash the window, you can manually open the car by reaching in and pulling the handle from the inside.
For double locking, key fobs may require a second press of the lock button to enable full security features. It’s important to read your car’s owner’s manual when you first get it and become familiar with how to safely lock your car when you’re not in it.
4. Think carefully about where you park at night
Usually, keyless car thefts take place in owners’ driveways.
While motorists may think that having their vehicle so close to their property ensures its safety, this is certainly not the case when it comes to relay theft – quite the opposite, in fact, as it means the car is closer to where the are keys. in your house.
Therefore, owners with parking spaces on their own property should consider additional measures.
Parking bollards in the driveway are an inexpensive but efficient way to deter would-be thieves.
Drivers can also go a step further and install lockable gates on their driveways, while simple CCTV systems can provide more peace of mind.
Luxury cars, which run a greater risk of theft, should be parked in a closed garage as much as possible.
For those who do not park on the street and leave their car on the road outside their house, you are not safe from these criminals either.
Consider parking further away from your home than usual – and try to find a spot under a street light so that thieves are exposed when they try to steal your car at night.
If you live on a residential street where there are businesses, park off a street with a CCTV camera installed.
5. Install a tracking device in your car
Installing a tracking system in your vehicle, such as a Thatcham-approved device, provides an extra layer of security.
A tracking device will not prevent your vehicle from being stolen, but it will greatly increase the chances that the police will find it and return it to you.
They cost between £250 and £800 and the safest use military-grade technology to pinpoint the whereabouts of cars.