Foil hi-tech car thieves... get a steering lock
POLICE are urging motorists to search out their old-fashioned crook locks as modern car security systems become an easy target for thieves.
Organised gangs who steal luxury models to order are thought to be behind an increase in car thefts, having mastered how to get around hi-tech security devices.
They can trick the ‘keyless’ ignition systems found in top-end cars with blank microchips that can be reprogrammed to start the engine. Other thieves use ‘jammers’ to stop cars locking when drivers press their remote keys after parking.
After years of falling car crime, latest figures show car theft in London is close to a two-year high, with nearly 2,000 incidents in July alone. Meanwhile in Stockport, Greater Manchester, there has been a ‘significant’ 25 per cent rise in car thefts, with 2,500 in the past year. Stolen cars are rarely recovered, as gangs quickly dismantle them and send them abroad.
The new hi-tech crime wave is a blow, as improved car security has been seen as one of the reasons behind falling crime rates over the past two decades.
Now police are urging drivers to revert to more basic methods for keeping their cars safe – such as putting a heavy-duty across the steering wheel when parking and leaving cars locked in garages overnight.
A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: ‘Vehicle owners can reduce the chances of being victims of theft. In terms of the key cloning method, consider additional security both electronic and physical.
‘Make sure your car is left in a well-lit area; ensure it is locked when leaving it by checking a door; consider a steering lock or garaging your vehicle; avoid reliance on the manufacturer’s fitted electronic security and locks; consider lock shields and marking schemes as a deterrent; and consider buying a tracking device.’