There has been a rising trend in Keyless car thefts in and around Swindon and Wiltshire.

To help prevent these crimes from occurring we are giving out the following advice:

Spare Keys - Do you know where your spare key-fobs are? How many spare keys do you have for your keyless vehicles? When not in use, ensure all keyless fobs are protected in the same way that the main key is protected. If rarely used, consider removing the battery from spare keys so fewer examples of the same key frequency being emitted for the Keyless Car Thieves to capture.

Location of keys when not in use – Think where you leave your keys when at home. Whilst not full-proof, the more central the keys are placed within a home environment, the better. Do not leave keys close to the front door however practical / easy it may be. As before, think about using signal suppression pouches also known as a Faraday bag.  These are relatively cheap to buy and are very effective.

Consult your Vehicle’s Manufacturer – Customers are encouraged to speak to their vehicle’s manufacturer about preventative advice including changing the vehicle’s security and convenience settings. Sometimes convenience functions can be disabled.

Physical Equipment Locks/Aftermarket Security Devices – Steering wheel locks, gear lever locks or a Pedal Box – The first two are self-explanatory and are more of a traditional means to deter thieves, they are cost effective and easily sourced. Whilst they are alone not full-proof they offer a degree of protection due to the time required for a thief to disable them. When used in conjunction with other methods, they may well just be a great and cost-effective investment.  A Pedal Box is a bright yellow metal box that is made to fit your car, wrapping around the foot pedals. It has a lock on the box and prevents the pedals from being accessed. Being yellow it can be easily seen and may ward off any potential thieves early. Heavy, power tools which are noisy would need to be used which would discourage most thieves from attempting to steal the vehicle. Again, in conjunction with other methods, these can offer a really good, effective deterrent.

Home CCTV – Do you have CCTV covering your property and vehicle(s)? CCTV can be a great deterrent to potential criminals as well as offering you peace of mind. It can also help the Police with any investigations they conduct. From cameras that attach to the house as well as doorbell cameras. Both of which relay images/notifications to your smart phone. If you have CCTV, make sure lenses are clean and free of obstructions – garden foliage, cobwebs. Also, do you know how to review footage if a crime has occurred?

Garages – If you have a garage, is there space to store your keyless vehicle inside it? If so, this will not only hide it from view, but it will also act as a further barrier to thieves.

Bollards / Driveway Gates – Both can be effective in offering a physical barrier to deter potential thieves. If you have them fitted, do you use them and do you lock them? Consider your locking options with gates and lock them each night time as these make it just that more difficult for thieves to steal your vehicle. As before, in conjunction with some of the previous ideas, it makes your car less attractive to steal.  

Non-Keyless Vehicles – These can be positioned on the driveway either in front of or behind a keyless vehicle so as to make it more difficult to steal and thus reducing the chances thieves will target your keyless vehicle. 

Insurance Cover – Do you have the appropriate insurance policy to cover your losses in the event that your car is stolen? Gap Insurance is an additional expense but it covers the difference between what you paid for the car and its current market value in the event that it is stolen. With some vehicles stolen depreciating heavily in just a few years, this may result in you not being able to replace your vehicle with a similarly specified one.

Vehicle Tracking Devices – Does your vehicle have a tracking device fitted? If stolen, the chances of the vehicle being recovered improve greatly when one is fitted.  

Valuables Inside Vehicles – When a vehicle is stolen, whatever is left inside it is also stolen too. Please do not leave valuables on show in your car overnight unnecessary.

Secure By Design have crime prevention advice on their website - sbd-security-leaflet-keyless-car-theft.pdf (securedbydesign.com) and Secured by Design - Relay Theft

Pc Lisa Draper 1861

Crime Prevention & Community Scrutiny Officer - NHRU