Car thief uses metal loop to steal keyless car through signal boosting

A car thief managed to steal a keyless car by utilizing a metal loop to boost the signal of the car’s fob. This technique, known as relay theft, is being employed by criminal gangs to bypass advanced security systems.

Sarah Baxter, a resident of Henley, experienced the theft of her car earlier this month while she was feeding her baby in the early hours of the morning. Her Mercedes, which relies on a fob for the car to detect and unlock it instead of a conventional key, fell victim to this cunning method.

The thief was captured on camera employing a metal loop to detect and amplify the signal emitted by the fob. This clever approach enables thieves to avoid the need to physically steal the key or enter the property. Instead, they place the metal loops near doors or windows to intercept the signal.

Relay theft often involves two individuals collaborating, with one positioned near the vehicle and the other near the house equipped with the device to pick up the amplified signal.

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Ms. Baxter, whose Mercedes was among nine cars stolen in the Henley area at the beginning of the month, described the incident as both “creepy” and “intrusive.” She became aware of the theft after reviewing footage from her doorbell CCTV camera, which captured a man approaching her property.

In her own words to media, she explained, “You can see a gentleman approaching our side door, holding up what appears to be a large cable loop, resembling a broken hula hoop. This device is used to detect the keys and amplify the radar signal of the keyless system, tricking the car into thinking that the key is nearby. Consequently, the car unlocks, and the engine starts.”

“I was awake at the time as I was tending to my two-week-old baby, constantly going up and down. It feels incredibly invasive because the window was open, and he was right below, carrying out these actions. It adds an extra layer of unease,” she added.