KESSY and car theft in 21st century

**DV52** · 17-04-2015, 06:19 PM

Not sure if it's true, but has anyone else heard about what some web sites are calling "power amplifiers"? Apparently these new devices are providing the next generation thieves with a new and ironic way of stealing stuff from cars that have remote keyless entry. That is, the thieves are able to open a car by using the car owner's own key - without his/her knowledge!

My understanding is that the "power amplifier" extends the normal operating range of the keyless entry unit in the car, which is normally only a few feet. If the car owners key is within the extended range (i.e. in a nearby house), the car opens!
The "power amplifier" won't allow the thief to steal the car (little solace), but the contents in the car are easy-pickings

The web article that I read (see HERE), suggests that owners of keyless entry vehicles either build a faraday cage to house their remote fobs, or that they keep them in the refrigerator!

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**AALocksmiths** · 17-04-2015, 06:34 PM

Yes this does work and has been around for a while.. unfortunately car manufactures are making cars more "convenient" which is traded with security, you can't have both. These newer cars with keyless entry are easier for me to make keys to than my 2001 Hilux.

For anyone who has watched the YouTube videos where they use mobile phones to amplify the signal from the key it doesn't work, the remotes work on a different frequency.

If you want to read more into it have a look into the BMW's and Landrovers ( which use a similar system to BMW) being stolen in the UK, because of how easy it is the owners are struggling to get insurance if they don't have off road parking... good luck with that in high density areas

**brad** · 17-04-2015, 06:53 PM

Keep your keys in a metal tin. Acts as a faraday cage & blocks the signal

**AALocksmiths** · 17-04-2015, 07:31 PM

I do something similar for my bank cards and have a wallet with RFID shielding, I'm not a fan of Paypass

This is an article that I was reading the other day.

Why keeping your keys in the freezer can stop thieves breaking into your car

**greg32** · 17-04-2015, 07:45 PM

After getting skimmed 4 times in a three month time frame, I cancelled my credit card. I only used one of the replacement cards once and they all had a different numbers. I guess that is the problem of living in a small town where crimes are statistically higher than large cities for most if not all crimes.

As for the car, I don't keep anything in it and live on a large block(5 acres) so night time is OK and I get to work too early most days to get scanned in an empty staff car park.

**kar2390** · 18-04-2015, 02:10 PM

Get a cheap microwave and use it for key storage. They act as a Faraday cage too.

**AALocksmiths** · 18-04-2015, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by greg32

After getting skimmed 4 times in a three month time frame, I cancelled my credit card. I only used one of the replacement cards once and they all had a different numbers. I guess that is the problem of living in a small town where crimes are statistically higher than large cities for most if not all crimes.

As for the car, I don't keep anything in it and live on a large block(5 acres) so night time is OK and I get to work too early most days to get scanned in an empty staff car park.

The big issue regarding the car theft is that if there are no signs of forced entry or damage to the car the insurance company can say that your car was taken with a key, which in the above scenario would be correct. Now if you car was taken using a key and you have that key how did the car get stolen? Car manufactures don't admit that it is their car, all the articles I have read it has always been "an isolated instance" . The only car manufacture that has openly mentioned that they have done something to fix this is BMW and their fix doesn't prevent the theft, it only slows in down.

**sports racer** · 18-04-2015, 04:49 PM

I don't have these problems with my 1991 MK2 Golf.

Mind you, there's nothing worth stealing in my car.

**Sunny43.5** · 20-04-2015, 10:19 PM

Don't you just love modern technology , car makers keep coming up with new and sometimes stupid ways of getting into and starting our cars . The trouble is that sometimes they completely miss what can be done to compromise all this technology . I work on many different brands of cars every week and without fail these keyless systems are the biggest pain in the butt. I fit aftermarket sunroofs and when we wire them up we have to turn on and off the ignition to find a suitable fuse locations to fit an "add a fuse " into . Now a keyed system is easy turn it once to acc and then to ignition then off . These keyless ones mean you have to press the start button multiple times because you have to go through the whole cycle to get back to the off position . If you ask me these systems are a backwards step , my Morris minor from 1952 had push button starter put the key in turn and push the button so todays keyless is not much of a step forward in technology . It has taken them 60 years t make a quantum change to car ignitions , not that smart .