Let’s talk about trackers and Faraday bags, because some of the cheaper ones may not be as good as a KitKat wrapper;
With keyless car theft continuing to wreak havoc among vehicle owners, police and insurers, stolen vehicle recovery expert Tracker Network UK Limited advises not to skimp on purchasing a Faraday bag as the market is flooded with imitations.
Most modern cars now come with keyless car entry technology, but thieves use readily available and easy-to-use kits to intercept the electronic signals between the car and its key fob – including the spare key – when the key fob is kept inside, near a door, window or external wall, and within reach of the car. This is called keyless car theft or “relay attack” and can be completed in under 60 seconds. Over 94% of stolen vehicles recovered by Tracker in 2023 were stolen this way.
A Faraday bag protects against this type of theft because it has internal metal layers that block the electromagnetic fields emanating from the key fob stored in the bag and from the car itself. However, tests have shown that the effectiveness of the different bags available varies considerably.
“Unfortunately, it’s not just organised car thieves who are benefiting from the rise in keyless vehicle thefts,” explains Clive Wain, head of police liaison at Tracker. “Entrepreneurial individuals are also cashing in by selling counterfeit or inadequate pouches, cases and bags to motorists trying to protect themselves from car thefts. While a good quality pouch will provide reliable protection from the relay attack devices that thieves use to extend the signal between a key fob and the car, poor imitations offer little more than peace of mind.”
Tracker recommends drivers test the effectiveness by bringing the bag – with the key fob inside – close to the car to see if the car receives the signal and opens as normal. Drivers can also check if a cellular signal penetrates the bag, provided it is large enough to put a phone in the sealed bag. Effective alternatives to a Faraday bag include metal cans such as biscuit tins or a refrigerator.
However, Clive Wain advises caution when using metal containers to protect keys: “Drivers should not rely solely on a car key protection device. It can easily happen that someone forgets to put the key fob and spare key inside, or leaves the bag or container open. There is no point in buying the best Faraday bag available if you don’t use it properly every time.
“Without additional layers of protection, the car remains vulnerable. Using multiple security measures slows down and deters criminals by making them suspicious to passersby or more visible on doorbell or security camera footage. What they can’t get around is a covert tracker hidden in one of several dozen places around the vehicle. Criminals don’t know it’s there, meaning the tracker can lead police straight to the vehicle and the thieves. 80% of stolen cars recovered by Tracker in 2023 were recovered in less than 24 hours and 80 suspected criminals were arrested.”
Tracker is the only SVR provider supported by UK police services nationwide to track, locate and recover stolen assets. Over 2,000 patrol cars and all police helicopters are fitted with Tracker detection units. Tracker’s unique combination of VHF with GPS/GSM technology confirms that its SVR devices provide a superior security defence against determined thieves.
Related
