Relay theft: the keyless car crime that needs no key in your hand
Most at risk: Cars with keyless entry and start, parked on driveways close to the house.
What relay theft is
Keyless entry lets a car unlock and start when it senses the owner's fob close by. Relay theft fools that check: a pair of thieves pick up the faint signal from a fob kept inside the home and pass it on to the car parked outside.
The car behaves as though its owner is standing next to it, so it opens and starts without a window being broken. Police forces across England and Wales describe it as a quiet, fast crime that often happens overnight and leaves almost no trace.
How owners usually notice: Owners usually find nothing more than an empty drive: no glass, no forced lock, and both keys still in the house.
Stop relay theft with dual layer protection
Layer one: stop it being driven away
An aftermarket immobiliser that asks for a PIN or a separate driver tag breaks relay theft, because a relayed fob signal does not carry that code. Even a car that unlocks will not run without it. Read more.
Layer two: find it fast if it goes
A monitored, insurance-approved tracker covers the night layer one is beaten. Recovery teams work from live location data, which matters with keyless cars that are often moved off-road within the hour. Read more.
Talk to an installer about both layers.
Everyday habits that help
- Store fobs in a signal-blocking pouch or tin, well away from the front door.
- Switch off keyless entry in the car's settings if the maker allows it, or ask a dealer whether the fob has a sleep mode.
- Add a visible steering lock as a deterrent on top of the two electronic layers.
Latest UK reports
No fresh relay theft stories from trusted UK outlets right now. This list refreshes itself daily from police and press feeds.
Official sources
- West Yorkshire Police: keyless theft advice
- Warwickshire Police: keyless vehicle theft
- Thatcham Research: vehicle security