Steal a car without a key

[dhjgreen]

Hmmm......

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-42132689

Edited November 27, 2017 by dhjgreen

[Corbs]

New Ford Fiesta STs are some of the most stolen cars at the moment, many thefts due to the keyless entry.

[BG John]

New Ford Fiesta STs are some of the most stolen cars at the moment, many thefts due to the keyless entry.

Does ST stand for "Susceptible to Theft" then?

[Titan]

Seems like a step backwards, in the 70's and 80's - and before, most cars were stolen without a key...

[ejstubbs]

I've always been a bit sceptical of the supposed benefits of keyless entry.  Seems like my doubts were not unfounded.  At least the more conventional type of remote key fob only broadcasts when you press the button.

[bimble]

remembers that Top Gear episode where they moved Hammond's Dodge Challenger from the carpark into the street whilst he was having breakfast thanks to keyless technology... that was 2008...

[Dunsignalling]

Fitting one of those over-the-steering-wheel security locks as suggested by the police spokesman rather negates the convenience of having keyless entry in the first place. You'll still need to carry a key to unlock it.

 

Also, if loose in the car when removed, they are highly dangerous in the event of an accident. 

 

Just another example of a gimmick offered because it can be done rather than it needing to be?

 

John

Edited November 27, 2017 by Dunsignalling

[Ryde-on-time]

Considering how weak the signals are from these keys, I wonder how close the key was to the householders front door for the thief to have grabbed the signal from it. 

 

Rather than have a cumbersome steering lock, much easier to keep keys in a Faraday pouch when in the house which can be bought for £3 off ebay

[RAF96]

So how did they get round the standard steering lock and did they use a dummy key to engage the starter.

 

Edit for Faraday cage  read kitchen foil.

Edited November 27, 2017 by RAFHAAA96

[gordon s]

Keyless technology automatically unlocks the steering and turns everything on. You just press the start button.  

 

Of course I once made the mistake of driving my wife's Toyota and she jumped into the passenger seat with the keys in her handbag.  All was fine until I dropped her off outside a shop whilst she just nipped in to collect something. Never gave it a thought as I was legally parked and turned off the engine....:-)

 

Then you're stuffed....

[Horsetan]

Seems like a step backwards, in the 70's and 80's - and before, most cars were stolen without a key...

 

A clothes hanger and a screwdriver were sufficient. Allegedly.

[Dunsignalling]

A clothes hanger and a screwdriver were sufficient. Allegedly.

The screwdriver was often sufficient on its own in my experience. Legal I hasten to add.

 

I also once had an old, worn key from a 1937 Morris 8 that would get into and start almost every BMC car I ever drove and quite a few of other makes..........

 

Poor security wasn't confined to old cars either. I worked with a chap who bought a brand new Mk5 Cortina estate (1970s) and managed to lock himself out in a car park. We knew quite a lot of people in the area and the third newish Ford that turned up had a key that got his door open. A mate in the trade told me that Ford only used five or six different keys at the time.

 

John

Edited November 27, 2017 by Dunsignalling

[Welly]

 

Poor security wasn't confined to old cars either. I worked with a chap who bought a brand new Mk5 Cortina estate (1970s) and managed to lock himself out in a car park. We knew quite a lot of people in the area and the third newish Ford that turned up had a key that got his door open. A mate in the trade told me that Ford only used five or six different keys at the time.

My Mum was driving our Mk1 Escort and found herself blocked in by a Cortina. By coincidence our car key fitted that Cortina so Mum pushed it out of the way but nearly let it run away! She managed to grab the handbrake in time. 

 

Is it not possible to turn off the keyless fob?

[Vecchio]

Locking myself out happened several times with my first car. Welding wire or bycicle spokes normally did the job.

But it happened also in the late 90th, when my nice car had already wireless central locking.on a winter day with ice and fresh snow on the car I started it to get warm while I cleaned the windows. Suddenly it went clack and the central locking was closed. With the engine running and as I was on holiday my spare key was approximately 100 miles away...

Tried to stall the engine by blocking the exhaust- impossible. The electronics rebels up the engine when I tried to do so. Had the Austrian version of the AA coming to open it again. Their tool was a hammer and a thin piece of wood. The guy did know where the crash sensor is and have it a whack. The central locking opened - and believe me, it was warm in the car now ( as it took the AA an hour to come...).

[mjkerr]

Is it not possible to turn off the keyless fob?

No, you need to remove the battery

 

Ironically, Vauxhall market it as a more secure method of car security control compared to the normal handset

I have baffled some of my family using this handset, which proves how more secure it is

The handset needs to be within 10 centimetres of any door handle in order to open that door

Equally, if no door is open, then only the boot will open once in range

The car also alerts if left unlocked, and once the key is out of range deadlocks the car (not just locks it)

Anyone inside the car is now trapped, as the locks inside the car do not work...

 

However, the main flaw is once the engine is running, as the key can be taken out of the car leaving the doors unlocked (Display shows "Warning : Remote Not Found")

 

At home I have an RFID shelf, I had my doubts to begin with but works

I also have an RFID wallet, none of my contactless cards are recognised unless removed

I doubted this technology when first introduced but I have confidence in it now

Edited November 27, 2017 by mjkerr

[tamperman36]

I have been wondering for a while why these days that we are all getting photocard driving licences, why can't they put details of insurance and then make these cars with keyless operation only work with a valid and insured driver. These cars could be built with data readers built in and the photo licences given an appropriate data strip.

[PhilH]

I tried the wrap the key in tinfoil thing to see if that would negate the key's operation. It did totally...does this mean that the key can't be read by any gizmos whilst in its cocoon?

[mjkerr]

why can't they put details of insurance and then make these cars with keyless operation only work with a valid and insured driver. These cars could be built with data readers built in and the photo licences given an appropriate data strip.

Great in theory, but it is not a legal requirement

I can add / remove any driver from my insurance at any time, so would need to update my car each time

For commercial vehicles that would be a nightmare

Yes, it is possible, but this is Britain...

[mjkerr]

I tried the wrap the key in tinfoil thing to see if that would negate the key's operation. It did totally...does this mean that the key can't be read by any gizmos whilst in its cocoon?

Yes, that is how an RFID blocker works

 

If you have two or more Contactless cards in your wallet, try this

Tesco Self-serve, total more than £30 (so that Contactless payment is not active)

Place wallet to obtain Clubcard points

The terminal will respond that Card Clash has occured

Wrap your wallet in Tin foil, and the terminal will now not respond

[Horsetan]

...Is it not possible to turn off the keyless fob?

Take the battery out?

[royaloak]

So how did they get round the standard steering lock and did they use a dummy key to engage the starter.

 

Edit for Faraday cage  read kitchen foil.

Because some cars dont have a key at all, they have just the fob part and as long as the car is receiving a signal it will release the steering lock and allow the car to start and run.

[rdr]

I have been wondering for a while why these days that we are all getting photocard driving licences, why can't they put details of insurance and then make these cars with keyless operation only work with a valid and insured driver. These cars could be built with data readers built in and the photo licences given an appropriate data strip.

Because we cannot trust an insurance company to be honest and lawful.

[kevinlms]

I have been wondering for a while why these days that we are all getting photocard driving licences, why can't they put details of insurance and then make these cars with keyless operation only work with a valid and insured driver. These cars could be built with data readers built in and the photo licences given an appropriate data strip.

Great, until you drop your licence or have your pocket picked! Even if the car doesn't get nicked, you're still looking at a useless lump of metal & plastic!

 

Police seem to have no problem with Plate Recognition technology, so the status of car/driver information is not that hard to come by.

[PatB]

Way back in 1992 my horrible and unlamented Honda Superdream ate its main bearings on the M5 in Somerset. After limping to Brent Knoll services and calling the AA I had a couple of hours to wait (it was, IIRC, the first weekend of the school summer holidays) befoire I could be relayed home. Whilst I was hanging around I watched an RAC patrolman assisting a family who had locked themselves out of their newish Volvo. I was most interested to note that Mr RAC had a huge, ring-bound folder containing what appeared to be detailed instructions for breaking into what must have been just about every model of car on the UK market at the time. Where to fish in the doors, how to get the bonnet up and bypass any (fairly crude at the time) security electronics etc.

[Horsetan]

....Police seem to have no problem with Plate Recognition technology, so the status of car/driver information is not that hard to come by.

 

....unless foreign plates are involved.