[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/is-keyless-ignition-making-car-theft-easier\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/is-keyless-ignition-making-car-theft-easier\/","headline":"Is Keyless Ignition Making Car Theft Easier?","name":"Is Keyless Ignition Making Car Theft Easier?","description":"Car theft has increased by nearly 50% and thieves are making child\u2019s play of cars with keyless ignition. Keyless entry and the \u201cpush to start\u201d feature are things that most of us enjoy having in our motors, but it looks like car thieves are enjoying them too! Car theft has increased considerably over the past 5 years and many believe that this is partly down to the increase in keyless entry. Although theft rates are nothing compared to what they […]","datePublished":"2019-02-04","dateModified":"2019-02-18","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Is-Keyless-Ignition-Making-Car-Theft-Easier-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Is-Keyless-Ignition-Making-Car-Theft-Easier-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/is-keyless-ignition-making-car-theft-easier\/","about":["BLOG","Cars","LATEST CAR NEWS"],"wordCount":834,"keywords":["car theft","car theft keyless entry","keyless entry"],"articleBody":" Car theft has increased by nearly 50% and thieves are making child\u2019s play of cars with keyless ignition. Keyless entry and the \u201cpush to start\u201d featureare things that most of us enjoy having in our motors, but it looks like carthieves are enjoying them too! Car theft has increased considerably over thepast 5 years and many believe that this is partly down to the increase inkeyless entry. Although theft rates are nothing compared to what they were 20years ago, they\u2019ve been showing signs of growth recently and it\u2019s time we getwise to it.  Thieves can unlock and start your car with a press of a button Stealing cars has never been easier thanks to keyless entry and keyless ignition. All it takes is a simple relay tool and a transmitter. The purpose of these tools is to boost the radio signal that your car keys are emitting to fool your car into thinking that the keys are within proximity of the car, which will then unlock the car and allow it to start. If you\u2019re familiar with WiFi signal boostersthat boost internet signals in your house, the concept is much the same. Onethief will stand by your front door holding a device shaped like a largetablet, made to capture your key fob\u2019s signal and boost it. The second culpritwill stand by your car with the device that mimics your car\u2019s key fob whichwill then pick up the boosted signal and unlock the car and start it. All ofthis can easily be done in under a minute and is quieter and generally easierto do compared to traditional lock picking. Car theft is on the riseStatistics from the Home Office say that 75,308 cars were reported stolen during the financial year of 2013-14 (ending April). That figure rose to 111,999 in the financial year of 2017-18. That\u2019s an increase of over 35,500 stolen cars and equates to an increase of roughly 49%. In just 4 years, these figures have risen by nearly 50%, and there are other stats that suggest a similar pattern.According to the RAC, just under 86,000 carswere reported stolen in 2016 compared to roughly 66,000 in 2013. That\u2019s a 30%increase in just 3 years. These figures were collected from 40 police forces inEngland and Wales.The bad news doesn\u2019t end there either, because research from Auto Express found that less than half of all stolen vehicles in the UK are recovered. So if you\u2019re one of the few unlucky victims, you\u2019ve got less than a 50\/50 chance of getting your motor back!Yet, shockingly (and hilariously), Mike Hawes,Chief Executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said this:\u201cNewcars have never been more secure and the latest technology has helped bring down vehicle theft dramatically.Manufacturers invest billions of pounds every year to stay one step ahead ofthe criminals, and the latest models include sophisticated immobilisers,smartphone-controlled tracking devices and random key codes to prevent cloning.Technology can only do so much, however, and while car makers, the police andgovernment continue to work together to ensure that stealing cars is asdifficult as possible, these latest figures show there\u2019s more consumers can doto minimise risk.\u201dThis quote was taken sometime in 2016 so we\u2019re not quite sure why he said this as vehicle theft has been back on the rise since 2014. Although Mr Hawes is right about one thing. Consumers can do more to minimise risk…How to make sure your car is safe and minimise riskMinimising risk is easy and cheap to do andwe\u2019re here to offer some tips. Tip number one is to store your car keys in asignal-blocking \u201cfaraday\u201d pouch which blocks the signal constantly beingemitted from your car\u2019s key fob. These pouches can be bought online for under\u00a310 or to the same effect, you can cover the interior of a box or pouch inaluminium foil and place your keys inside when you get home. This will mean thethieves will be unable to pick up the signal.Another simple way of making the signal harder to find is to not leave your keys near a window or exterior wall. If they\u2019re placed deeper inside the house, the signal will be harder to hijack. Other ways to deter thieves include using awheel lock, having a car cover, parking in a garage, having driveway bollardsinstalled or just simply not own a car with keyless ignition and entry. Thoselooking to steal a car are looking for easy targets and all it takes issomething as little as a wheel lock to make them turn the other way and searchfor an easier target. We hope our tips and information help you keep your motor safe! Make sure to sign up to our email list to stay up to date with all of our news, stories and entertainment.Research Credit: Auto Express"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Is Keyless Ignition Making Car Theft Easier?","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/is-keyless-ignition-making-car-theft-easier\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]