WE DON’T WANT TO BMWORRY YOU BUT...

Car firm can’t stop thieves

CAR maker BMW has claimed it is powerless to stop crooks hacking into its motors.

The German manufacturer admitted its keyless models are vulnerable to thieves using gadgets available online.

“Theft kits” that hack a car door open can be bought on eBay and Amazon for as little as £100 and have helped car crime soar by more than 50% nationally.

Despite the growing problem, BMW has insisted it cannot accept any responsibility.

It said in emails to a customer that while such thefts were “extremely regrettable, we cannot take responsibility”.

The company insisted the stolen motors were an “act involving the highest level of criminal energy” and added: “BMW is powerless against criminal mechanism.”

The comments were made to a customer from Surrey whose £55,000 keyless BMW was stolen from his driveway. West Midlands police and crime commissioner David Jamieson said: “BMW’s attitude towards this driver is arrogant and outrageous.” A total of 89,000 vehicles were stolen in England and Wales in the last year – a rise of 56%, according to the Office for National Statistics. Mike Hawes, from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: “Manufacturers are investing billions of pounds in ever more sophisticated security features. “However, technology can only do so much and we continue to call for action to stop the open sale of devices which help criminals.”

A BMW spokesman said last night: “Our specialist security teams work constantly to design and enhance the best possible vehicle security systems.”