How to combat Keyless entry thefts?!
Discussion
I woke up this morning to find that my dad's X5 was stolen overnight.
He still has both keys so presumably the keys were 'hacked' into.
Not that there is much point asking now, but is there anything you can do to stop this from happening?
Is there anywhere safe I can put the keys in the future?
He still has both keys so presumably the keys were 'hacked' into.
Not that there is much point asking now, but is there anything you can do to stop this from happening?
Is there anywhere safe I can put the keys in the future?
From what i understand they "extend" the keys signal by picking it up with one device, then transmitting the received code with a device near the car. This relies on getting their receiver gizmo close to the keys. So putting them far away from for instance the front door (which apparently is a std place for people to keep keys) will mitigate the risk.
Ive also seen suggestions of keeping the keys in a metal box over night, a full metal enclosure should keep all the signals in and away from maliscious "ears"
Ive also seen suggestions of keeping the keys in a metal box over night, a full metal enclosure should keep all the signals in and away from maliscious "ears"
t400ble said:
They'll have just got in the car and programmed a new key
Same with Fords
Fit a 'ghost' alarm
This.Same with Fords
Fit a 'ghost' alarm
The whole "keyless entry" thing is a bit of a red herring. Most modern cars can have a blank key reprogrammed with a cheap box of tricks off t'internet simply by breaking a window and plugging in to the OBD port. All the keyless bit does is let them get into the car without damaging anything. If you watch the various CCTV footage on YouTube of these scum at work, they usually turn up mob-handed, and don't care about the alarm going off. There's usually one or more waiting by the front door to deal with the owner coming out, if it happens.
The answer is a Ghost immobiliser, or relocating the OBD port to somewhere less accessible. I don't understand why the manufacturers don't do this themselves, to be honest. There are a number of places you could put the port where it would be inaccessible without the car being unlocked first.
Limpet said:
The answer is a Ghost immobiliser, or relocating the OBD port to somewhere less accessible. I don't understand why the manufacturers don't do this themselves, to be honest. There are a number of places you could put the port where it would be inaccessible without the car being unlocked first.
There is some kind of rule that states the OBD has to be within a certain distance of the steering wheel or something I thinkMate of a mate had Autowatch Ghost fitted the same day he got his mk2 Focus RS, week later, car was taken without the keys or sequence to the Ghost. Car later recovered on a slip road to the M1 after they'd crashed it. My point is, there is absolutely no method that's 100% secure but there are ways to deter potential thefts. IMO, the best deterrant is a Disklok as it'll hopefully mean they move onto the next car which doesn't have a Disklok. Yes I realise Disklok can be removed within seconds, but if there's an X5 with Disklok and X5 without Disklok, which one is the scumbag going to pick?
Have good insurance, decent home security and keep keys and valuables in a safe as a habit. No point adopting a siege mentality as it only makes your own life more difficult.
If it's going to get stolen and the tea leaves are professional/good enough, the car is going regardless of what we do. That's where the insurance comes in.
If it's going to get stolen and the tea leaves are professional/good enough, the car is going regardless of what we do. That's where the insurance comes in.
Just floating this as its something I've thought about, if you make it hard to take are these mobs more likely to come in the house for the keys?
My thought was take reasonable precaution but its insured so if it goes then it goes, I'd rather that than them get in the house and get the keys.
My thought was take reasonable precaution but its insured so if it goes then it goes, I'd rather that than them get in the house and get the keys.
- making it hard to get the keys and get in the house is the obvious answer but anyone determined to take a car not caring about the alarm wont worry about knocking in a front door.
zedx19 said:
Mate of a mate had Autowatch Ghost fitted the same day he got his mk2 Focus RS, week later, car was taken without the keys or sequence to the Ghost. Car later recovered on a slip road to the M1 after they'd crashed it. My point is, there is absolutely no method that's 100% secure but there are ways to deter potential thefts. IMO, the best deterrant is a Disklok as it'll hopefully mean they move onto the next car which doesn't have a Disklok. Yes I realise Disklok can be removed within seconds, but if there's an X5 with Disklok and X5 without Disklok, which one is the scumbag going to pick?
If it becomes too difficult then they'll just take cars off people in car parks etc. Happened twice to someone I know through work with an RS4. His missus wouldn't let him replace it second time.zedx19 said:
Mate of a mate had Autowatch Ghost fitted the same day he got his mk2 Focus RS, week later, car was taken without the keys or sequence to the Ghost. Car later recovered on a slip road to the M1 after they'd crashed it. My point is, there is absolutely no method that's 100% secure but there are ways to deter potential thefts. IMO, the best deterrant is a Disklok as it'll hopefully mean they move onto the next car which doesn't have a Disklok. Yes I realise Disklok can be removed within seconds, but if there's an X5 with Disklok and X5 without Disklok, which one is the scumbag going to pick?
Nonsense.One of the main installers in the UK is on my Facebook and I often see him arguing with people in various groups about the effectiveness. Basically, he wins every argument and it turns out a lot of people like spreading nonsense like the above. It's funny as most of the debates I see him having involve "a guy I know" or "a friend of a friend" rather than someone who has been directly effected.
According to the guy on my FB, no car fitted with a Ghost has ever been taken using the wireless repeater trick.
Limpet said:
This.
The whole "keyless entry" thing is a bit of a red herring. Most modern cars can have a blank key reprogrammed with a cheap box of tricks off t'internet simply by breaking a window and plugging in to the OBD port. All the keyless bit does is let them get into the car without damaging anything. If you watch the various CCTV footage on YouTube of these scum at work, they usually turn up mob-handed, and don't care about the alarm going off. There's usually one or more waiting by the front door to deal with the owner coming out, if it happens.
The answer is a Ghost immobiliser, or relocating the OBD port to somewhere less accessible. I don't understand why the manufacturers don't do this themselves, to be honest. There are a number of places you could put the port where it would be inaccessible without the car being unlocked first.
Is it not the same system for keyless start?The whole "keyless entry" thing is a bit of a red herring. Most modern cars can have a blank key reprogrammed with a cheap box of tricks off t'internet simply by breaking a window and plugging in to the OBD port. All the keyless bit does is let them get into the car without damaging anything. If you watch the various CCTV footage on YouTube of these scum at work, they usually turn up mob-handed, and don't care about the alarm going off. There's usually one or more waiting by the front door to deal with the owner coming out, if it happens.
The answer is a Ghost immobiliser, or relocating the OBD port to somewhere less accessible. I don't understand why the manufacturers don't do this themselves, to be honest. There are a number of places you could put the port where it would be inaccessible without the car being unlocked first.
zedx19 said:
Mate of a mate had Autowatch Ghost fitted the same day he got his mk2 Focus RS, week later, car was taken without the keys or sequence to the Ghost. Car later recovered on a slip road to the M1 after they'd crashed it. My point is, there is absolutely no method that's 100% secure but there are ways to deter potential thefts. IMO, the best deterrant is a Disklok as it'll hopefully mean they move onto the next car which doesn't have a Disklok. Yes I realise Disklok can be removed within seconds, but if there's an X5 with Disklok and X5 without Disklok, which one is the scumbag going to pick?
Friend of mines work colleague had his MK2 Focus RS targeted at work. Lads on mopeds smashed their way in through drivers side window, managed to get the door open (not sure how) and proceeded to rip out interior trim looking for (I think re-located OBD port). What doesn't make sense is though he had a full wheel disklok on as well.... I'm not sure how they intended to get past that - it's not like the window were heavily tinted so they wouldn't have seen it. They didn't end up stealing it but it left a right mess. They were clearly quite determined though Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff