Vehicle Theft Has Shot Up 57%, And You Can Thank Modern Car Tech
It seems we’re paying a price for the convenience of keyless entry systems, as vehicle theft shot up an incredible 57 per cent in the UK last year. According to newly released numbers from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), 89,000 cars were stolen in the country last year, up from 57,000.
The key part is how the thieves are getting access: around half of these cases involved entry through an unlocked door, up from just 13 per cent in 2006. That’s not entirely surprising given how criminals are able to exploit keyless entry - one spectacularly easy method involves merely boosting the key’s signal from inside the target’s house, placing the car within range of the device.
Speaking about the ONS figures, RAC Insurance spokesperson Simon Williams had this to say:
“After decades of falling vehicle crime, these latest statistics show that the trend has sadly reversed. While we know that the picture is an uneven one across the country, the fact that 32,000 more people were victims of car theft last year compared to 2016 is nothing short of shocking.
“The increase can probably be put down at least in part to the rise of more digitally-savvy criminals who try to exploit vulnerabilities in modern car security systems – although we know manufacturers will do all they can to keep their vehicles secure.”
As shocking as the figures seem on their, however, it’s not all bad news. “The volume rises in both the CSEW [Crime Survey for England & Wales] and police recorded crime are relatively small in the context of the longer-term reduction in these offences,” the ONS stated, adding, “CSEW vehicle-related theft has fallen by 78 per cent since the year ending December 1995.”
Also as potential victims, we’re not entirely powerless. Simon Williams recommends a variety of countermeasures, from parking in well-lit areas to physical deterrents (yes, we’re talking about Disclocks and the like). There are also signal blocker pouches available for your keys, which are increasingly looking like a must-have item for modern car owners.
Sources: ONS via Auto Express, Yahoo News
Comments
Maybe we should start unlocking cars using a piece of metal with a unique shape that only you can carry with you. It’s much less complicated than a device that unlocks a car with a wireless signal too
Here’s a video of an RS6 being saved by a Disklok. Just a friendly reminder to be secure!
https://youtu.be/JZHLz6FNYdc
Hahahaha! They peeked into the window, turned around and walked away. FEAR THE DISK THAT IS DISKLOK! XD
#cheekydisklok
My family has an old sedan, no keyless entry obviously, and no physical deterrents installed, we parked it outside of the house and sometimes my father forget to lock the car door. In the times where car theft are rampant in the neighborhood, it seems that no thief will dare to steal this since this car wont sell a dime XD. I can thank today markets that shifts more to SUVs, so it increases safety towards sedans (and yes, lots of stolen cars around my neighborhood are SUVs).
Yup, a Passat in our area was stolen the same way. Insurance decided to ask for aftermarket immobilizers. Like they would help a lot. >:(
The car is in our backyard behind a locked gate with a massive key, try to get out of there without making a lot of noise!
Yet another reason not to get a new car, I doubt I’d get anything much newer than my MG although admittedly thanks because most modern cars feel disconnected with their assisted everything and millions of driver assists. And then there’s the Fiat that doesn’t even have decadent, capitalist central locking :D
Speaking of stolen cars, even something like this old gem with German security from the time period gets stolen the moment it lands in the country. Such a shame it still isn’t found yet. :(
My neighbour’s 2015 Jaguar XJ was stolen using it’s keyless system around 3 weeks ago. The car cost him around £70k new, so Jag’s poor keyless system is such a disappointment
What’s the point of keyless systems if they don’t even provide the basic thing you expect from it: SECURITY. Next time they’re gonna remove the door locks completely.
hell, just buy an Ariel or something - those have this new technology called doorless entry
What if you riced the car so thief would be scared of the car?
Put car in garage, shoot burglars for being in your house. #castledoctrine
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