The automotive and security industries have become increasingly aware of the fact that criminals are increasingly using advanced signal-manipulation devices capable of stealing keyless car fobs without entering the property or obtaining the owner's fob, a development that has intensified concerns across the whole industry.
A variety of specialist tools aimed at copying or amplifying the wireless signal of a key in order to fool a vehicle into believing that an authorized user is nearby have rapidly found their way into organised criminal networks.
In the report published by the BBC recently, it is noted that some of these devices are openly available for purchase online for sums exceeding a million pounds, which proves both how sophisticated the technology is and how big the illegal market for these devices is.
As a result of the increasing accessibility of such equipment, owners of high value, keyless entry vehicles, as well as fleet operators, are more likely to experience targeted thefts.
Despite forthcoming legislation aimed at tightening up controls on who is permitted to possess or operate these devices, security analysts advise that there are already many criminal groups who have gained access to the tools and circulate them throughout their networks. As regulatory changes approach, the threat is largely undiminished.
Clearly, the proliferation of £20,000 keyless theft devices signals a deeper shift in the methods used to commit vehicle thefts. Using a technology that exploits the vulnerabilities of wireless communication systems that allow cars to start without using a physical key, criminals are able to capture and amplify signals from key fobs, allowing them to unlock and drive away their vehicles with as little effort as possible.
A key advantage of these machines is that there is only a very low amount of human intervention involved, making them an attractive choice for organised groups seeking efficiency and reducing risk. It is not currently illegal to own such equipment, so an abundance of it remains available online, leaving law enforcement only responding to thefts when the crime occurs rather than curbing its availability at the beginning.
A report by experts cites that this imbalance effectively shifts the constraint on crime prevention to a new location: traditional defenses designed to prevent forced entry or hot-wiring do not provide resistance to remote signal manipulation attacks that are executed by criminals. Instead, the primary challenge is to regulate, restrict, and intercept the tools themselves before criminals are able to take advantage of them.
Technology-enabled offences are experiencing a broader trend, as automation and remote capabilities are weakening frontline security measures, making authorities more inclined to target upstream supply chains and to intervene legislatively.
Despite the government's intention to ban such devices, enforcement will continue to trail behind a fast-growing, demand-driven black market unless decisive action is taken at a policy level.
There has been an increasing awareness among law enforcement officials and the auto industry of the extent and sophistication of the problem they face.
Approximately 100,000 vehicles have been stolen over the past year, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. Insurance companies report that keyless cars now account for 60% to 70% of thefts.
A number of people have been exploited through signal-manipulating devices, despite the fact that it is unclear just how many of these devices have been used.
According to evidence gathered by the BBC, these devices range from everyday Bluetooth speakers to military-grade equipment that can block tracking systems after a vehicle has been stolen. Security specialists warn that such tools do not serve any legitimate purpose outside of criminal activity and are now an integral part of a shift away from opportunistic theft into highly organised theft.
The analyst for Thatcham Research, Richard Billyeald, points out that gangs are now stealing to order, recouping their investment by targeting multiple vehicles each week and recouping their investment. According to investigators, the equipment is constantly passed through groups, thereby making it difficult to curb the crime and allowing the networks to operate across state and national borders.
Criminals often steal from victims in residential areas, intercepting signals quietly as they move through residential areas. Many victims describe thefts that took place in mere minutes. Despite the fact that keyless entry is a convenient feature for motorists, it has also been found to be a lucrative avenue for relay theft as offenders adapt to more advanced vehicle technology, according to industry groups.
It is hoped that the government's Crime and Policing Bill will fill this gap by making possession or distribution of these devices a criminal offence carrying a five-year prison sentence, a substantial shift from previous rules whereby police needed to prove that the equipment was used in a specific crime in order to obtain the warrant.
Despite keyless technology becoming increasingly prevalent, analysts claim that there is still a structural weakness in current security practices that makes traditional alarms and physical locks less effective against signal-based attacks that are relying on radio signals.
Legislative action in this context is just as crucial as technical upgrades; experts have stated that, in other sectors, tighter bans on digital signal interception tools have decreased their circulation and have affected the reach of criminal groups operationally to a great extent.
The authors state that a similar approach is critical to the automotive industry, where one of the biggest challenges now is not merely to improve vehicle hardware, but also to close the loopholes that allow such devices to be purchased and shared easily rather than to enhance them.
There is no doubt that this situation reflects a broader pattern of cybersecurity attacks where adversaries exploit overlooked vulnerabilities to gain disproportionate leverage.
As a result, authorities have been forced to shift away from addressing incidents to limiting access to the tools themselves that enable the attack.
With the criminalization of possessions and distributions of keyless theft devices, the government is attempting to rebalance that leverage by focusing on the upstream supply chains that facilitate high-volume thefts, preventing the spread of these technologies to the public.
In order to combat technologically driven crime at its source, it is increasingly being seen as essential to implement a multilayered strategy that combines strengthened digital protections with firm legal boundaries.
Despite the upcoming full enforcement of new laws, experts warn that long-term progress will require coordinated actions between manufacturers, legislators, insurers, and consumers as the industry awaits the full implementation of new legislation. In order to narrow the window of criminal opportunity, it is seen as essential to strengthen encryption standards, to improve tracker resilience, and to accelerate over-the-air security updates.
Meanwhile, insurance companies and the police emphasize the importance of community reporting, secure parking habits, and signal-blocking storage of key fobs. Although legislation may be able to restrict access to illicit devices to some extent, the extent to which the UK will be able to combat this ever-evolving threat will ultimately depend upon sustained investment in smarter vehicle design as well as public awareness.
