Police raise awareness of little-known tactic car thieves used in York

We’re raising awareness about keyless car crime after a Mercedes 4x4 was stolen in York.

Thieves who took the black Mercedes GLC from outside a home in Huntington may have used a handheld remote entry device, also called a relay device.

Relay devices help criminals enter and start cars that have keyless entry, even if they don’t have the key – a method that’s been growing in popularity in recent years.

They work by using a device to scan for a nearby key signal, which is then transmitted to the car. This fools the car into thinking the key is present, allowing the doors to be opened and ignition started. It can all happen in less than 30 seconds.

The method is used to steal vehicles with keyless entry (when you can unlock your car with the key in your pocket), not to be confused with remote central locking, when you have to push a button on the key to unlock the doors.

You can watch a video from West Midlands Police shows a gang of relay thieves in action here.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “Most people have heard of ‘two-in-one thefts’ - when thieves break into a house to steal car keys.

“Keyless ‘relay’ car crime is less common which means fewer people know about it, or the specific ways this type of theft can be prevented.

“One of the cheapest is keeping your keys in a faraday pouch when you’re at home, which have a foil lining to block the key’s signal. They can cost under a tenner. Store them away from windows and doors for extra peace of mind.

“If you’ve got a bigger security budget, for around £500 you can get immobilisers that only allow your car to be started if you enter a personalised sequence using your car’s existing dash buttons or steering wheel buttons. There’s no fob that thieves can steal, and they are exceedingly difficult to bypass if you don’t know the driver’s personalised sequence.

“You can slow down thieves with manual steering locks, pop-up bollards or simply by blocking your car in the drive by parking a second vehicle behind it. Also, some vehicles give you the option to turn the keyless signal off entirely.”

The Mercedes theft in Huntington, York, happened on Dalby Mead at around 5am last Saturday (31 August) and we have already launched an investigation.

We are appealing for sightings of the car, registration KM66 JZV.

If you have any information, please email Nabiel.galab@northyorkshire or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for PC 319.

You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website.

Please quote reference 12240153176 when passing on information.

*Video courtesy of West Midlands Police.