Genuine?

[petermcleland]

How to Lock Your Car and Why! "I locked my car. As I walked away I heard my car door unlock. I went back and locked my car again three times. Each time, as soon as I started to walk away, I could hear it unlock again!! Naturally alarmed, I looked around and there were two men sitting in a car next to the Store. They were obviously watching me intently, and there seemed no doubt they were somehow involved in this very weird situation. I quickly abandoned my errand, jumped into my car and sped away. I went straight to the police station, told them what had happened, and found out I was part of a new, and very successful, scheme being used to gain entry into parked cars. Two weeks later, my friend's son had a similar experience....While travelling, he stopped at a motorway service area to use the toilet. When he came out to his car less than 5 minutes later, someone had managed to get into his car and had stolen his mobile phone, laptop computer, sat-nav, briefcase and other belongings. He called the police and since there were no signs of his car having been broken into, the police told him he had probaly been a victim of the latest robbery tactic – there is a device that robbers are using now to clone your security code when you lock your doors on your car using your remote locking device. They sit a distance away and watch for their next victim. They know you are going inside the Store, restaurant, or whatever and that they now have a few minutes to steal and run. The police officer said always to lock your car manually with the key when parking in a public area. That way if there is someone sitting in a car nearby watching for their next victim, it will not be you. When you lock up with the key upon exiting, it does not send the security code, but if you walk away and use the remote button, it sends the code through the airwaves where it can be easily intercepted by the device. This is very real. Be aware of what you just read and please pass this information on. Look how many times we all lock our doors with our remote just to be sure we remembered to lock them -- and bingo, someone has our code...and potentially whatever is in our car." Please share with everyone you know in the hope that we can frustrate these thieves.

[dodger]

Hello Peter,

Thanks for the HU,

Nothing it seems is safe anymore is it,

Cheers,

Roger.

[TSR2]

There is definitely truth to this, but many cars nowadays don't have physical key locks, and even when they do, using the key is often a way to lock the car without arming the immobilizer / alarm system (for example, if you were leaving a dog inside). Needless to say, doing a manual lock without arming the alarm will invalidate your insurance claim if the car gets stolen or broken into, so for many you're dammed if you do and dammed if you don't.

[speedbird591]

Yes, this genuine.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... click.html

You can buy a jamming device for $85

http://www.spy-techs.com/b2b_cpinfo.asp?id=1254

Checking that the doors have locked by physically trying the handle is probably the best advice.

Ian

[Scorpius]

Most remotes use KEELOQ encryption but it is vulnerable to attack when the side lobes from the transmitter are intercepted and the master key can be extracted from this transmission. I always thought that the best anti theft device for the car was to remove a part of the ignition wiring (HT lead for example) and lock valuables in the boot.

Another method of attack is to use a jammer that prevents the remote signal reaching your car. You walk away thinking it is locked when it is not. They cannot take the car but can take the contents.

To show how fickle remotes can be, whenever I visit my local pet shop I am unable to use the remote as somthing is 'jamming' it. I always use the mechanical lock.

Nev

[Scorpius]

Do we need to fit some form of jammer warning device or perhaps a full electronic counter-measures suite to our cars?

[speedbird591]

Do we need to fit some form of jammer warning device or perhaps a full electronic counter-measures suite to our cars?

Yes. My Cortina had an early device disguised as a bent coathanger which I found very effective

Ian

[Filonian]

Thanks for the warning Peter.

Let's face it, locks only keep honest people out.


Graham

[Vancouver]

I find my furry land shark to be the best deterrant, I just have to put up with the dog drool on my seat back.

[Nigel H-J]

Many thanks Peter though I have known for some time that these remote key locks can be intercepted by other means but one tends to put it to the back of the mind and get on with things!! Now after your warning I will lock my doors manually, just requires 2 turns to effect the dead locking device.

Having said all that I never leave anything of value in the car anyway but nothing is safe and....... one could return to their car to find the seats removed with old ones left in their place!!

Nigel.