He added that Thatcham is supporting the Home Office with drafting regulations controlling the sale and distribution of devices like those that we saw for sale.
What kinds of products are being sold?
Neil Thomas, director of investigative services at vehicle tracking and recovery firm AX Track, told Autocar that he was surprised by the detail offered in the device listings.
“I’ve seen websites offering these kinds of devices before but never anything in such detail and suitable for so many makes and models,” he said. “The product descriptions such as ‘for emergency starting’ are meant to give the impression of legitimacy, but if you have the money, I’m sure they would sell it to you.”
Other available products include remote key-signal jammers, used to block the key fob and prevent a vehicle from being locked, and devices that can disable an alarm “in seconds”.
Another device that appears to work like a relay and is said to enable “emergency starting of an engine” in a car with a keyless ignition system is described as being “available only for special services and detective agencies”. Thomas said: “Could these devices be used for stealing vehicles? Put it this way: one of my contacts has used stuff like this, and his only connection with the police is spending time in the cells.” Autocar contacted the website selling the products but received no reply.
What do the police say?
A spokesman for the National Police Chiefs’ Council said: “The widespread use of keyless technology has unfortunately led to the development of devices which are easily accessible and make stealing vehicles all too straightforward for criminals.
“We’re working with the Home Office and government to establish how we could put a stop to the sale of these devices. We also regularly engage with vehicle manufacturers on theft prevention and security features to protect vehicles.”
How are manufacturers responding?
