The AA boss is encouraging motorists to keep their keyless car keys in a secure bag, locked in a box and then microwaved after hackers stole his wife’s £50,000 car.
Edmund King, one of Britain’s leading motoring experts, said thieves intercepted the signal from his wife Deidre’s car key and managed to steal the keyless Lexus.
Now he keeps his car keys safe in a wire bag that blocks the hacker’s signal, locked in a red metal box, and then microwaves the box in the very breath of his house.
Now he encourages others to do the same.
With the AA revealing that 51% of motorists are taking no action to protect their keyless car keys, experts have weighed in with a series of safety tips for worried drivers, including microwave ovens, tin foil, Faraday bags and even empty boxes.
A survey of more than 4,000 UK drivers found that half take no action to secure their keyless cars from criminals who use hand-off tactics to target them
AA boss Edmund King keeps his car bags in a Faraday bag, in a box, in his microwave (pictured)
Mr King told the Telegraph: “We believe the thieves came to the house at 11.45pm and used their computer device to unlock the car and remove it without smashing it or anything like that.
“We didn’t notice it until the next morning, by which time it was probably in a container with changed dishes on its way out of the country.”
He suspected his house had been pawned beforehand and the thieves were able to intercept the keyless car alarm when his wife parked her car at 6 p.m.
Now the AA is urging car owners to use similar tactics to those used by Mr King after a survey of keyless car owners found half of their wallets were at risk of theft.
Mr. King said, “Are we so lazy that we can’t press a button on a key fob or turn a key if it protects us.”
Using measures such as the Faraday bag (left) and also the microwave trick (right) can help prevent the interception of signals on car key fobs
Police are warning that the rate of car theft is increasing, with 100,000 stolen last year. Many of these vehicles were keyless as thieves use sophisticated methods to intercept car key fob signals
With vehicle theft on the rise, drivers are following advice on how to keep their keyless cars safe, including keeping their keys in a metal box
Tin foil can also offer some protection for car levers, but can only be used for a short period of time as it will need to be replaced once it starts to tear.
They are also urging manufacturers to inform drivers that their cars may be at risk.
The AA president has also bought a £110 steering wheel lock and is considering a retractable security post and doors to prevent his cars from being driven off the driveway.
A wave of keyless crime has hit British drivers hard in recent years.
In England and Wales alone, 101,198 vehicles were stolen last year, the latest Home Office figures show – and many of these were stolen from cars with keyless technology using ‘pass-off’ tactics.
Despite sky-high car crime rates and a constant news stream of CCTV footage showing engines being pinched from owners’ driveways in the middle of the night, only half of drivers with cars with this technology use specialist devices and household items to block this type of theft, according to a new report.
While around half a million cars were stolen annually at the peak of crime in the 1990s, the volume of thefts has increased significantly in recent years.
Experts believe this is due to the higher price of used cars and the lack of parts available, making the theft of sought-after engines very lucrative for criminals.
Claims specialist, Claims Management & Adjusting, recently issued freedom of information requests to the Home Office and was told that 72 per cent of stolen vehicles are never recovered, costing the insurance industry around £1.5bn a year .
Yet half of keyless car owners admit to not taking any preventative measures to protect their vehicles.
AA President Edmund King (pictured) is encouraging motorists to follow his advice to prevent their cars being stolen after his car was stolen, with some tips as simple as wrapping your car in tin foil
Drivers can purchase special Faraday bags for their key fobs, which are inexpensive protective sleeves that block the signal generated by the key and therefore protect their car from criminals.
Drivers have also been told that placing their keys in household appliances, including freezers and microwave ovens, could also stop criminals hacking into the signal.
However, 51 per cent of drivers who own models with keyless technology told the AA they do not use either of these features.
Keyless car owners, where do you keep your keys?
51% My key is not stored in anything
22% Faraday pouch
13% others
9% Metal box
7% Safe
1% Wrapped in foil
1% Microwave/oven
Source: AA survey of 4,079 keyless car owners
The survey of 4,079 drivers with keyless cars found that only a fifth had Faraday bags.
Another 9% said they kept their keys in a metal box to block the signal, while 7% used a special safe.
One percent say they wrap their keys in foil for safe keeping, while an equally small percentage admit to storing their keys in a microwave or oven overnight.
The remaining 13 percent said they use other security measures to protect their keys from criminals.
Gus Park, managing director of AA Insurance Services, said: “The key has always been the most vulnerable part of the car when it comes to security, but many don’t know how important it is to keep it secure.
“Car thieves have gone high-tech and relay theft has been on the rise for some time, but drivers are still unaware of the risks associated with keyless entry cars. Keyless entry is also becoming more common with more manufacturers offering the technology on lower spec cars.
“Drivers should do everything they can to protect their keys.
“While a minority keep their keys in the microwave, this is not recommended and there are simpler ways to protect your vehicle.
“For as little as one in ten, people can reduce the risk of theft by keeping their keys in a Faraday bag.
“Depending on the spare key, drivers may need two as this may also be a keyless entry key.
“They should also be stored away from the front door and kept out of sight.”
How do criminals steal cars using pass-off tactics?
Criminals usually go in pairs to steal keyless cars. One holds a transmitter and stands next to the vehicle, while the other stands near the house and holds an amplifier
To target the latest – and usually high-end – engines, thieves are arming themselves with cheap technology that allows them to take cars without having to set foot on someone’s property to get the keys.
Keyless entry and keyless ignition mean that the driver only needs to hold the car key on their body – in their pocket for example – not only to unlock the doors but also to start the engine.
While this is a convenience feature, it also makes owners susceptible to car crime.
Usually, two thieves work together when they plan to pinch a car with keyless technology. One holds a transmitter and stands next to the car, and the other stands near the house and holds an amplifier.
The amplifier can amplify the signal from the switch in the property and send it to the transmitter.
The transmitter essentially becomes a ghost key and tricks the car into thinking the real key is nearby. The car is then opened and it can be driven away without causing damage.
Insurers have estimated that around half of all car thefts are now carried out this way because criminals can do it quickly and almost silently, with gangs usually targeting vehicles in the middle of the night without arousing suspicion.
Five tips to protect your car from relay theft
1. Keep your key fob safe and away from your vehicle: Place your keys or fob as far away from the vehicle as possible and if possible keep them in a Faraday bag.
Metal boxes and cases will also provide similar levels of protection as keeping your key fob in a fridge-freezer, microwave or oven – just make sure they’re there before turning on the latter two.
Also, don’t forget your spare keys and apply the same level of care as you would your primary keys or keys.
2. Invest in securing your vehicle: A simple steering wheel lock or wheel clamp may look unsightly, but it’s usually enough to deter even the most hardened criminals.
Halfords recently launched the first fingerprint-activated lock, costing £60, as part of a bid to reduce the rising tide of keyless theft.
These items usually require criminals to use noisy drills or saws to break through, and therefore often act as a good first line of defense.
3. Be careful when locking the vehicle: It may sound simple, but if your vehicle has keyless access, make sure it’s locked every time you’re not in it, even if it’s just for a few minutes when you’re paying to park somewhere – thieves can take an unlocked car in seconds.
As for locking, many modern cars have keys with two settings – for single and double locking.
Many drivers don’t realize that on many models, if you press your key once, your car will only lock once.
This means that if you break the window, you can manually open the car by reaching in and pulling the handle from the inside.
These key fobs require a second press of the lock button to activate all security features. It’s important to read your car’s manual when you first get it and familiarize yourself with how to securely lock your car when you’re not in it.
4. Think about where you park at night: Driveway parking bollards are an inexpensive but effective way to deter would-be thieves.
Drivers can also go a step further and install locking gates on their driveway, while simple video surveillance systems can provide added peace of mind.
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