After a number of crimes in the south of Staffordshire, police are urging owners of keyless entry cars and high-performance vehicles to protect themselves from theft.
There have been more than 50 crimes since May this year, including keyless thefts, attempted thefts of vehicles and car key burglaries reported to police from across the south of the force area, which covers Lichfield, Cannock, Tamworth and South Staffordshire.
The majority of thefts occur overnight and the cars targeted are less than three years old. Thieves are targeting high value performance vehicles such as Audi, Mercedes and BMW and Fords which are left parked on driveways or in the street. There have also been a number of reported Transit vans stolen from the Lichfield area, again from residential areas.
Police recently arrested and charged three people from Bilston with Aggravated Burglary in connection with incidents in where high-powered cars were targeted during break-ins. Recently police All three have been remanded into custody until their next court appearance. Officers are also advising people to take preventative steps so they can protect themselves from being a victim of this crime by following some simple advice.
Detective Inspector John Quilty from Force CID said: “Vehicle security technology is constantly being advanced by vehicle manufacturers but unfortunately technology is also being developed and used by criminals to combat these new measures.
“Criminals manipulate the vulnerabilities of the keyless system by capturing the signal from the car’s fob and fooling the vehicle into believing the keys are with the vehicle so that it can be opened, started and driven away within minutes. We want to be one step ahead of the criminal fraternity and are working in partnership with car dealers across the county to prevent the crime.
“We have also seen incidents where homes have been broken into to steal keys so that high-performance cars can be taken. These crimes are often committed by criminals who are working to order and targeting certain types of vehicles, based on demand and value. Investigations are currently ongoing into a number of incidents, but all car owners should be vigilant and take simple crime prevention measures to deter thieves.
“If you are aware of anyone behaving suspiciously around your car or property, or if you think you are being followed, phone us on 101 or, if there is a crime ongoing, 999.”
Surveys have shown that people tend to leave their car keys on their hallway table or in a key pot or on a key hook or keep them in a drawer downstairs. We would advise that keys are left in a secure location not left on display and not kept upstairs.
Police have issued the following security advice.
- Keeping all keys out of sight and away from doors and windows
- Installing a home security system and setting an intruder alarm at night
- Installing and activating a tracking device on your vehicle
- Install good outside lighting
- Check if your keyless entry fob can be turned off. If it can, and your dealer can also confirm this, then do so overnight.
- Store your keys away from household entry points and windows. Keeping your keyless entry fob out of sight is not enough – thieves only need to gain proximity to the key to amplify the signal. Drivers are also being urged to keep both sets of keys in a Faraday cage or pouch which blocks the signal from the fob.
- Be vigilant. Keep an eye out for suspicious activity in your neighbourhood – and report anything unusual to the Police.
- Review your car security. Consider security devices such as mechanical locks (steering / gearstick/ pedal / wheel clamp) and trackers, which are proven to deter thieves.
Be smart, keep updated. Go to https://www.staffordshiresmartalert.uk/staffs/ for more info & to download the Staffordshire Smart Alert App to receive real-time crime alerts for your area. Search your App store for ‘Staffs Smart Alert’.
