Car stolen without key

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Discussion

WFL

Original Poster:

64 posts

128 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
quotequote all
I had my 2013 Ford Focus estate stolen from Leeds last night. I still have the key in my pocket, went out this morning and it wasn't there.

How do cars get stolen without the key? It had keyless entry so was thinking they had a transponder but that seems pretty unlikely for an opportunist style theft. I'm not from Leeds and it was only parked on the street overnight.

Any ideas/advice?

Ninja59

3,691 posts

111 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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Hunch would say OBD theft....

Greendubber

13,131 posts

202 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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OBD port.

I've just ordered a new Focus ST3 and I'm already planning the security for it including moving the OBD port.

Baryonyx

17,990 posts

158 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
quotequote all
OBD port. Some criminals can use a signal blocker to prevent you locking it when you leave, and then use a laptop through the OBD port to programme a new key. Sometimes, in BMW's case, they could even break a window and lean in to plug in the laptop without triggering an alarm.

Then there are even more mysterious means. I spoke to a bloke with a 61 plate Transporter that has been broken into three times over the space of a year. He was the first owner, all keys accounted for. He'd lock it, and go back in the morning to find the doors open and the interior having been searched. Never did figure that out.

Defcon5

6,161 posts

190 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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There are a number of ways to steal cars with keyless ignition systems, some more sophisticated than others, but all are very easy to do with the right kit,

The theives simply drive round looking for a car that A - is worth stealing, and B - has a ignition system in place that is compatible with the equipment they have.

With certain kit you don't even need to force the exterior door/window, or access the OBD port. Embarrassingly easy

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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Baryonyx said:
Then there are even more mysterious means. I spoke to a bloke with a 61 plate Transporter that has been broken into three times over the space of a year. He was the first owner, all keys accounted for. He'd lock it, and go back in the morning to find the doors open and the interior having been searched. Never did figure that out.
Chances are they just programmed a key for it. Rather than steal the thing (not worth it if you can't move it on) they just kept looking for goodies.

Baryonyx

17,990 posts

158 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
quotequote all
OBD port. Some criminals can use a signal blocker to prevent you locking it when you leave, and then use a laptop through the OBD port to programme a new key. Sometimes, in BMW's case, they could even break a window and lean in to plug in the laptop without triggering an alarm.

Then there are even more mysterious means. I spoke to a bloke with a 61 plate Transporter that has been broken into three times over the space of a year. He was the first owner, all keys accounted for. He'd lock it, and go back in the morning to find the doors open and the interior having been searched. Never did figure that out.

MissChief

7,095 posts

167 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
quotequote all
Baryonyx said:
OBD port. Some criminals can use a signal blocker to prevent you locking it when you leave, and then use a laptop through the OBD port to programme a new key. Sometimes, in BMW's case, they could even break a window and lean in to plug in the laptop without triggering an alarm.

Then there are even more mysterious means. I spoke to a bloke with a 61 plate Transporter that has been broken into three times over the space of a year. He was the first owner, all keys accounted for. He'd lock it, and go back in the morning to find the doors open and the interior having been searched. Never did figure that out.
That's amazing. 4 1/2 hours apart.

kmpowell

2,918 posts

227 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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edo

16,699 posts

264 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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kmpowell said:
shockingly easy.

Turkish91

1,084 posts

201 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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Greendubber said:
OBD port.

I've just ordered a new Focus ST3 and I'm already planning the security for it including moving the OBD port.
Just about every mechanic at my work with a Ford has done this - just cable tie it up out the way behind the panel, probably won't fully stop them but definitely slows them down!

thebraketester

14,193 posts

137 months

Sunday 24th July 2016
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Cant you put a switch in a secret place on the power cable for the OBD port ?

Tinkshusband

280 posts

102 months

Monday 25th July 2016
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my wifes old c2 was broken into without the keys. we left it overnight, and came back to door open, satnav gone. googled it after, apparently you can break into a car with a tennis ball cut in half.

Baryonyx

17,990 posts

158 months

Monday 25th July 2016
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MissChief said:
That's amazing. 4 1/2 hours apart.
No idea how that happened.

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 25th July 2016
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Tinkshusband said:
my wifes old c2 was broken into without the keys. we left it overnight, and came back to door open, satnav gone. googled it after, apparently you can break into a car with a tennis ball cut in half.
Not for a long, long time and even when it was possible it was only because poor lock shielding design allowed air pressure forced in through the keyhole to push the lock button up.

Modern cars have deadlocks too, which makes that attack doubly useless.

Andy OH

1,903 posts

249 months

Monday 25th July 2016
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OP sorry to hear this.

My son has a 2015 Ford Fiesta ST which someone attempted to steal last November, thank goodness for the dead locking as they couldn't get the car but left the driver's door with a nice one inch diameter hole just below the lock barrel in the door which resulted in a new door being fitted as it couldn't be repaired. The car was one month old when this happened. His car also has keyless start but thankfully he had already moved the OBD port and fitted a cage that makes it a lot harder to access the OBD. He's now OCD with security and doesn't leave the car anywhere without a steering wheel disk lock fitted.

All that jazz

7,632 posts

145 months

Monday 25th July 2016
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WFL said:
I had my 2013 Ford Focus estate stolen from Leeds last night. I still have the key in my pocket, went out this morning and it wasn't there.

How do cars get stolen without the key? It had keyless entry so was thinking they had a transponder but that seems pretty unlikely for an opportunist style theft. I'm not from Leeds and it was only parked on the street overnight.

Any ideas/advice?
Where was it taken from exactly and what model was it? Interested as I'm in Leeds myself and have a 13 ST estate but it never gets left anywhere without the Disklok fitted.

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 25th July 2016
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Was it the LGI car park?, I have had 2 cars nicked from there.


WFL

Original Poster:

64 posts

128 months

Monday 25th July 2016
quotequote all
All that jazz said:
Where was it taken from exactly and what model was it? Interested as I'm in Leeds myself and have a 13 ST estate but it never gets left anywhere without the Disklok fitted.
Cheers for your responses everyone. Disappeared from Woodhouse area of Leeds.

WFL

Original Poster:

64 posts

128 months

Monday 25th July 2016
quotequote all
Not heard from the police so far. Struggling to believe it happened!

Had a good walk around the streets nearby where it was taken from just to see if I wasn't being an idiot and had parked it somewhere else. As I mentioned, the car hasn't been parked there before and I was only in Leeds for one night so it must just be extremely unlucky.