I've read that some thieves now use a scanner to capture the signal from your key fob, which they can replay to open and start your car. Does anyone have any experience with this threat? How real is it? And how can you protect your car? Any idea how close to the fob the scanner needs to be?

If you don't use the fob, and just use the handle to lock and the button on the handle to unlock does that reduce the risk? Obviously the fob is broadcasting it's proximity to the car, but it is not sending lock/unlock commands, right? Does that reduce the risk?

This is a rare threat now apparently, but I'd guess it could become more common. Your thoughts?

 

A workaround when your keys are at home is to store them in a faraday bag or tin box. Faraday bags are convenient when you're out and about, too, but obviously limit the use of keyless lock/unlock.

 

Don't know about the US but there's been loads of car thefts using this method in other parts of the world since many years. A faraday bag is the solution.

 

What I have read is that the thieves will hang in the parking lot and catch the scan when you use the fob to lock your car. The fob has to come out of the bag to do that, so a bag does not seem like a solution. Of course, there may not be a perfect solution.

My original question though is, does pushing in the handle to lock your car mean the fob does not have to signal to the car and therefore can't be scanned or is harder to scan? Or, is the fob broadcasting the info the thieves need anyway? Anyone have any solid info on this?

 

If someone really wants the car, they are going to get it. They just drag it up onto a flatbed and drive off, then worry about the rest later. The fancy ones figure out how to cut the power in case it has a motion alarm.

 

Interesting question - the fob has to be active when unlocking the car via the handle, but I'm not sure if it has to be there for locking. Anyone?

 

You have misunderstood the methodology of this type of theft. It is not in the carpark scenario but when you are at home .The Key fob only has a limited range but is always broadcasting a linking signal to the car. Normally two people , one creeping around the outside of your house trying to capture this signal and then amplifying it and sending it to their accomplice standing next to your car. Car thinks key fob is then within 2m of the car and will unlock when some pulls on the handle. Thats why is doesnt work in the carpark with hundreds of keyfobs and signals.

I put my keys in a metal tin. It will stop this BUT then increase the risk of them doing a home invasion to physically get your keys anyways so you have to decide what is best for yourself.

It doesnt matter how you have locked the car , manually or remotely, you key fob is still transmitting

You can also un-program keyless entry (without any tools) which will then stop this type of theft completely but you can no longer leave the key in your pocket and just walk up to your car without having to pull out your key and press unlock

 

Copied the instructions below from another forum in case anyone wants to do this



"
With the keyless system switched off it is impossible for someone to open your vehicle using this method.

1. Open driver's door (using fob)
2. Key fob inside car
3. Press headlamp button on the key fob 3 times
4. Press unlock button on the key fob once
5. Keys outside car
6. Close driver's door
7. Lock car using the fob
8. Unlock car using the fob

Same procedure again to re-enable it, except press the lock button at step 4. "

 

It's not something I've put much research into but I do see the occasional article, and given a background not entirely unrelated, I have interest. My understanding is that there are two different methods:

1) Record the sequence when someone presses the button to unlock remotely and play it back at will.
2) Amplify the signal for keyless entry so that the fob is still seen from a distance, such as inside the house with the car outside.

Never pushing the buttons on the fob would preclude the first method. You'd need keyless entry for that. Keeping your fob in a Faraday cage (or bag) while you're at home defeats the second. If you don't have keyless entry this is pointless.

 

How about just using the jaguar remote app to lock/unlock the vehicle

 

You still have to disable keyless entry

 

Life is too short to worry about someone stealing my car. That is why we purchase insurance. Maybe I'll worry if it gets stolen. Until then I'll continue to use the key fob as intended and enjoy my ride. All of the precautions and they will still steal the car if they want to. A car is replaceable. See you when the snow melts.

 

Because pressing the handle or fob button once is much easier?

 

Does this actually work on our cars? I remember from my XF days that there was such a procedure which worked on Land Rovers but only some (older?) XFs.

 

Good point about never using the fob buttons. The cases I've read about, often including CCTV footage, have shown thieves applying the 2nd method with cars parked outdoors outside people's houses and with the fob probably left nearby inside the house. Parking the car in a locked garage obviously mitigates this risk further.

I only park the car in my locked garage which is way out of range from where I keep the fobs at home, never use the fob buttons and always use a faraday bag whenever I take the car on a road trip and have to park it out of sight.

 

Surveillance video released by Toronto police shows an example of one such incident.

PHOTOS

In this surveillance image released by Toronto police, thieves use a signal booster to steal a vehicle from the owner's driveway.

In the video, one of the thieves stands near the front door of the house and pulls out a device that captures the signal being emitted from the keyless fob, which is somewhere near the entrance inside the house.

The device, a radio frequency amplifier, captures the fob’s signal from inside the house and extends it so that it can reach the car.

The boosted signal then unlocks the car and also starts the vehicle’s engine.

The thieves then simply drive away with the vehicle.


https://www.cp24.com/news/watch-high...cache=dkorkzbx

 

Keep you key fobs in a "Faraday cage" of some type at your home, and make sure your insurance is paid up.
Also, keep an eye out for an Apple Air Tag being attached to your vehicle. Those devices enable thieves to track your car to any location and then use a scanner or other method to make off with the cars they have targeted when it is most opportune.

 

So, looking for this Air Tag on my F (or Corvette) would entail examining topside and underside? I suppose a stupid thief would stick it on a window, easily seen.


https://www.apple.com/airtag/?afid=p...lid---product-

 

There is an app to find unwanted trackers near you.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...hl=en_US&gl=US

 

If you have an iPhone, it will alert you automatically, as I discovered in a rental car in FL in Dec.