The metal will prevent criminals from eavesdropping on fob signals
The idea of hiding your car keys in one of your appliances in the kitchen might seem a bit crazy but it’s now been revealed that by simply storing your keys in the fridge, or your microwave, thieves could be stopped from being able to steal your car.
According to the experts, the metal in two of our regular household kitchen appliances can help stop thieves from being able to listen in on the signals given off by fobs, which are now widely used in ‘keyless’ cars.
Stop car thieves by hiding your keys in the fridge or microwave © Copyright Adrian and Janet Quantock and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
Car thieves across the country have the technology to be able to hack fobs whilst standing outside our homes, by using a special device that picks up the signal. That signal is then passed on to an accomplice stood next to the car holding another transmitter, who is then able to unlock the car, start it and drive off.
Footage was released last week showing exactly how these car thieves use this technology to ‘get away’ with our cars. It showed two criminals stealing a Mercedes off a driveway in Essex.
Experts are advising car owners to carry out a few simple precautions that should prevent their car from being stolen – turn off the radio signal on your fob, or store it in a container that is metal-lined. On a Mercedes car, you can turn off the radio signal on the fob by clicking it twice.
Now experts are saying that by placing your key fob in the microwave, or your fridge, you can prevent these type of criminals from stealing your car.
Car crime is on the rise in the UK for the first time in 20 years, with criminals finding ways to crack modern car security measures easily, enabling them to drive off in our cars with very little effort.
One other way in which these criminals are stealing cars, is by using a device that jams the fob’s signal, so when a driver thinks they are locking their vehicle, these car thieves are intercepting the signal and your car remains unlocked without you knowing.
“As manufacturers address one weak point, criminals find others,” said Andrew Miller from Thatcham Research.
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