Experts have hailed new laws which will clamp down on car thieves, with strong punishments being delivered following an announcement earlier this month.
During the King’s Speech earlier this month, new anti-crime laws were introduced to crack down on anti-social behaviour and other offences.
This includes making it a criminal offence to possess, make, modify, supply or import technology used to steal with a maximum jail sentence of five years.
It is believed that this will include devices that intercept keyless car fob signals and tools that jam GPS tracking technology.
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Data from vehicle recovery specialists Tracker found that 93 per cent of all stolen vehicles recovered by the company last year were taken without the key present.
Relay devices are becoming more common with the device intercepting a short-range key fob signal and bouncing it to the car, allowing criminals access.
This is usually done when drivers leave their keys near doors or windows, with criminals being able to steal the car without damaging the car or entering the house.
Another relatively new method includes hacking a vehicle’s CAN bus or circuit board to disable locking and alarm systems, in addition to GPS jammers.
These devices can be used to disrupt signals to and from GPS satellite devices, with Tracker saying it allows a stolen and tracked vehicle to disappear off radars.
Mark Rose, Managing Director of Tracker said: “We have been reporting on the increase in keyless car thefts for many years, but more so recently as the frequency has been accelerating at an alarming rate.
“In the first half of this year, we recovered nearly 40 per cent more stolen cars than in the same period in 2022, with almost every vehicle having been taken without the criminals having possession of the car keys.
“It’s fair to say that keyless car theft is now an everyday occurrence, with thieves using multiple means to overcome the very technology meant to protect vehicles from being stolen.”
Tracker has developed technology that can make its stolen vehicle recovery units immune to GPS jamming, with the company having a 95 per cent success rate.
It also supported the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) announcement that it was working with the Home Office to identify ways in which new laws can stop the sale of theft devices.
The majority of people who take measures to protect their cars do so using covert transmitters hidden in and around the car.
This protects it from any overzealous criminals who may check common areas to see if it is being tracked, with the transmitter not having a visible aerial to limit detection.
Mark Rose continued, saying: “This is because the tools used to do this have become incredibly easy to obtain and can be operated by even the most inexperienced thieves.
“Robust laws that crack down on people supplying and buying these devices is long overdue.
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“If this new legislation makes it harder for thieves to get hold of the technology in the first place and sees those caught possessing them being given a jail sentence, it should go a significant way in tackling the problem.”
