How to Prevent Key Fob Car Theft

Imagine walking towards your car with your arms full of groceries. Back in the day, you would have had to relieve your arms and struggle with a bunch of keys to unlock your car door before gathering your groceries again. 

Now, with the help of keyless car entry and no extra effort on your part, your car door will simply unlock itself for you.

Modern advancements in technology are always striving to make our lives more convenient. 

Unfortunately, the more we let technology pamper us, the more likely it is that we let our guard down. 

 

 

Even with security measures in place, it’s important to note that crime has evolved alongside the same technology that benefits us. And when we are least expecting it, someone can take advantage of that fact to do us harm. 

Case in point: thieves no longer need to steal your car keys to get inside your car. Tech-savvy criminals can remotely access your keyless car using a method called relay attack. 

Forget simply stealing any valuables you may have in your car, attackers can actually commit car theft with you being none the wiser.

You can still report this crime to the authorities. But with all the paperwork and with police recovering stolen cars left and right, getting your car back becomes an unwanted headache.

You can also claim on your car insurance if you prove you’ve been a victim of a keyless theft. But claiming insurance is not only a huge hassle on your part, your insurance costs will rise the year after. 

So, what can you do to prevent keyless car theft?

 

Key Fob Relay Attacks and How They Work

 

The method by which criminals commit car theft without possession of the keys is called keyless theft or relay theft. The process of keyless theft is rather simple, but it does require high-tech equipment: 

• Relay amplifiers
• Relay transmitters

Once they have what they need, they search for signs of desirable vehicles parked outside their houses. Using these tools, they can easily tell if a car has a keyless entry and start system. 

It takes two people to commit this crime. One thief stands near the car with the transmitter while the other one gets close to the house, where the key fob is, with the amplifier. When the amplifier gets within range of the key, it boosts the key fob’s signal and directs it towards the transmitter. 

These devices use the short-range radio waves transmitted between the fob and the car’s system to extend the distance the keyless fob can be used. This tricks the car’s system into thinking the actual key is close by. The car then unlocks itself and allows the criminals to gain access and drive away. 

The entire process takes less than two minutes and can be done without making any noise. When the car stops receiving a signal from the key, it won’t stop the engine for safety purposes, so very little can be done to prevent thieves from getting away. 

 

Vulnerable Key Fobs

Does your key fob require you to press a button to unlock your car? If your answer is yes, then you’re safe from being a victim of relay theft. 

Only vehicles that use a keyless entry system are at risk of being hacked by relay equipment. 

With keyless entry, car owners can unlock and start their car without even taking the key fob out from their pocket. Once inside the car, the engine can be started by simply pushing a button. 

Any car that uses this technology is at risk of relay crime. 

 

How Can You Prevent Keyless Car Theft 

If you’re afraid that criminals may steal your car using relay theft, know that you’re not powerless. There are preventative measures you can take to stop thieves from breaking into your car or stealing it. 

Here are three tips to keep your vehicle secure and minimize your chance of being a victim of relay theft: 

• Start depending on steering wheel locks again.
• Place your key fob away from your house’s entry points.
• Invest in a metal container or in signal-blocking pouches. 

 

Turn to the Old Trusty Steering Wheel Lock

We’re taking it back to the ’90s with this one. 

A steering wheel lock is exactly what you think it is: it’s a bar-like tool that you position on your wheel and lock into place with a key. The lock prevents the steering wheel from being turned and makes it nearly impossible for thieves to commit car theft.

Similarly, you could install a lock into your car’s diagnostic port. This way, even if a thief manages to enter your car, they won’t be able to start it. 

You can also invest in a driveway parking post or even a wheel clamp. 

Almost every modern car thief depends on high-tech gadgets. There’s a chance that old-school security devices like these will act as a real deterrent against car theft. 

Alternatively, you can also get a car alarm installed in your vehicle. This can be a bit more complicated as it involves opening up panels and wiring through the firewall to link the alarm and siren. 

Installing a steering wheel lock or a car alarm gives you the added advantage of cutting down your car insurance premiums too. 

However, it’s important to remember that if you’re leasing your car, you need to get your provider’s approval before shopping for these tools—they could be a breach of contract. 

 

Put Some Distance Between Your Key Fob and Car

As you know by now, relay thefts need a thief to stand close to the perimeter of your house with an amplifier to send the relayed signal from your key fob to their accomplice’s transmitter. 

Most people habitually place their keys next to their front door. This only makes them more vulnerable to relay theft. 

Key fobs typically have a range of between 16-65 feet. By storing them as far away as possible from your car, especially away from entry points, it becomes more difficult for criminals to pick up their signal and commit car theft. 

Remember to take the same approach with any spare key fobs you may have lying around. Hide them safely but separately from your main key. 

Moreover, if you park your car securely, like in a garage, it becomes much more difficult for criminals to get to your vehicle. If you don’t have a garage, park your car as close to your house as possible so that it’s easily within sight. 

This method of protection may not incite much confidence, but when applied with other methods, it acts as an extra layer of security to prevent car theft. 

 

Place Your Keys in a GoDark’s Faraday Bag

 

A signal-blocking pouch, such as GoDark Faraday Bags, is an effective way to stop remote access to your car’s key fob and prevent car theft. Putting your keys in the bag will ensure thieves cannot amplify the signal using amplifying devices. It essentially prevents your fob from transmitting its code to your car. 

Once inside the bag, any electronic device can neither send nor receive signals. 

The outside of the bag is made of an extremely sturdy 600D poly outer shell with a polyurethane face coat and a thermoplastic polyurethane backing. This makes the bag resistant to both water and punctures. 

Inside this shell is thin padding and felt liner that protects the signal-blocking material from harm, even after continuous use. This inner layer is made up of a metallic fabric containing a blend of copper and nickel woven in highly precise ratios. 

You can easily test if the bag works by placing your phone inside and then calling your number from another phone. Since the phone cannot receive signals of any kind, it will not ring. 

Until you can get a Faraday bag, you can also temporarily place your key fob in a metal container, like a biscuit or cookie tin.

Here’s what one of our customers, who left a 5-star review of their purchase, had to say: 

 

“Works as advertised. Tested it and it shut out everything 100%.”
Anonymous 

 

 

If you think a bag is too large for your needs, you can try out the GoDark Vault Key Fob Faraday Cage. It offers the very best key fob protection by stopping all EMF signals to or from your key fob.

 

 

Popular Car Models With Vulnerable Fobs 

Some car manufacturers have taken steps against keyless car theft and come up with more advanced technology for key fobs to make stealing their cars harder.  

For instance, the newer models of Ford Fiesta and Focus have a sleep mode for their MyKeys. This is a motion sensor that goes into sleep mode after 40 seconds of inactivity and switches off the wireless system. This prevents criminals from gaining access to these cars.

In the table below, you’ll find a list of cars that passed and failed a keyless car theft test conducted by Thatcham Research: 

 

Vehicle Model	Pass / Fail	Security Rating
Audi A6 Allroad	Pass	Superior
Audi e-Tron	Pass	Superior
BMW 1 Series / 7 Series / 8 Series	Pass	Superior
BMW X6 / X7	Pass	Superior
DS 3 Crossback	Fail	Poor
Ford Mondeo	Fail	Poor
Ford Puma	Pass	Superior
Hyundai i10	Pass	Basic
Hyundai Nexo	Fail	Poor
Jaguar XE	Pass	Superior
Kia ProCeed	Fail	Poor
Land Rover Discovery Sport S D150	Pass	Superior
Land Rover Evoque	Pass	Superior
Lexus UX	Fail	Poor
Mazda3	Fail	Poor
Mazda CX-30	Fail	Poor
Mercedes-Benz B-Class	Pass	Superior
MG HS Excite T-GDI	Fail	Poor
Mini EV	Pass	Superior
Porsche 911	Pass	Superior
Porsche Macan	Pass	Superior
Porsche Taycan Turbo	Pass	Superior
Škoda Superb	Pass	Superior
Subaru Forester e-Boxer XE Premium	Fail	Poor
Tesla Model 3	Pass	Basic
Toyota Corolla	Fail	Poor
Toyota Supra	Pass	Superior
Toyota RAV4	Fail	Poor
Vauxhall Corsa Ultimate Turbo 100	Fail	Poor
Volkswagen Passat	Pass	Superior
Volvo V60	Fail	Poor

 

Secure Your Possessions

It can be a scary thought knowing that your car might get stolen at any moment—even with your key fob safely stored in your pocket or inside your house. 

It’s an even scarier thought that all of your phone’s data is at risk of being stolen due to the signals it’s frequently broadcasting and receiving. 

Take the necessary precautions to protect your technology from criminals and, sometimes, even law enforcement officers. 

Find out more about  GoDark Faraday Bags and how they can keep your devices and vehicles safe.