Car stolen overnight.

Howard · 9 Oct 2020 at 13:13

Haggisman said:
Don't most keyless systems allow you to lock the car with a button on the fob, meaning it can only be unlocked again in the same way?

This isn't the case with mine or any others I've used. I can lock it with the fob and unlock with the handle, or vice versa.

Haggisman · 9 Oct 2020 at 13:47

Howard said:
This isn't the case with mine or any others I've used. I can lock it with the fob and unlock with the handle, or vice versa.

Hmm, on mine if I lock it using the lock button on the fob, it can only be unlocked using the lock button on the fob, which seems a quick and easy way of preventing this issue, and doesn't require any kind of 3rd party faraday bag etc.

Siliconslave · 9 Oct 2020 at 13:52

it does feel like the manufacturer should bear more responsibility for their cars' security - I sell software and we have to support and update that software to react to new threats as well as proactively searching for and patching security holes. 'The newer cars has fixed this' isn't really a valid argument, if theres a hole they should be fixing it!

Semple · 9 Oct 2020 at 14:17

adam cool dude said:
Surely in this day and age there must be some sort of sensors available that can trigger an alarm on property?

There is, problem is it'll likely trigger on so many false positives - i.e. a cat strolling by, that'll it'll regularly be ******* off your neighbours.

Rroff said:
Have to wonder - these guys were in a different league to even the "gone in 50 seconds" type videos of car theft - no getting in each other's way, no standing around watching each other working, unhurried, show forethought and planning more inline with military training than your average criminal - no fumbling around reactively to things, etc. they've obviously done their homework on the car.

I'm guessing there was at least another couple of people involved - driver for their transport and someone watching the wider area for passers-by or police activity, etc.

Yep you can guarantee this wasn't their first rodeo.

Nasher · 9 Oct 2020 at 14:47

If they did it that cleanly then it will have been pre-planned out. Not just an opportunistic theft.

The whole "keyless" thing is a joke tbh. People wouldn't have a keyless door to their house (unless they are really dumb) so why have it on a car :/

People keep making stupid gadgets and completely overlook security holes. Like those Alexa controlled door locks. They didn't consider that anyone can just shout through the letterbox and tell it to unlock

ScoobyDoo69 · 9 Oct 2020 at 15:09

Nasher said:
People wouldn't have a keyless door to their house (unless they are really dumb) so why have it on a car :/

...Like those Alexa controlled door locks...

Errrr yes they would and do, as you pointed out

People love a bit of "convenience". Leave your key in your pocket, use your phone to unlock and drive your car. Use your phone to gain access to your home.

These types of technology make people's lives easier, but also criminal's jobs easier. Use a bit of tech to hack a signal instead of popping off door locks, smashing glass, having to confront someone etc. It's all a bit too simple tbh.

Em3bbs · 9 Oct 2020 at 15:14

Nasher said:
If they did it that cleanly then it will have been pre-planned out. Not just an opportunistic theft.

The whole "keyless" thing is a joke tbh. People wouldn't have a keyless door to their house (unless they are really dumb) so why have it on a car :/

People keep making stupid gadgets and completely overlook security holes. Like those Alexa controlled door locks. They didn't consider that anyone can just shout through the letterbox and tell it to unlock

I do also have a Yale smartlock on my front door

You can't use Alexa to unlock it though, just check the status of the lock or lock it, which is pretty pointless as it autolocks after 90 seconds anyway.

I'm happier with a smartlock vs a normal lock which can be easily snapped/or the cleaner nipping to Timpsons and getting their own dodgy key cut rather than giving them a code which only works at a specific time.

happy_2008 · 9 Oct 2020 at 15:21

Nasher said:
If they did it that cleanly then it will have been pre-planned out. Not just an opportunistic theft.

The whole "keyless" thing is a joke tbh. People wouldn't have a keyless door to their house (unless they are really dumb) so why have it on a car :/

People keep making stupid gadgets and completely overlook security holes. Like those Alexa controlled door locks. They didn't consider that anyone can just shout through the letterbox and tell it to unlock

Don't South Koreans all use electronic keypads to there flats?

Barks · 9 Oct 2020 at 15:27

Siliconslave said:
it does feel like the manufacturer should bear more responsibility for their cars' security - I sell software and we have to support and update that software to react to new threats as well as proactively searching for and patching security holes. 'The newer cars has fixed this' isn't really a valid argument, if theres a hole they should be fixing it!

Agree entirely and there are so many good ideas that could be implemented e.g keyless entry deactivated from 10pm until 6am or whatever. The BMW thing of cutting off the signal after 10 minutes of the fob being stationary is a good example. I’m surprised insurers even touch these things to be honest. This is starting to make sense now why my M2 insurance was so cheap.

In fact the more I think about it the more crazy it is. We have incredibly advanced end to end security and encryption but then essentially shout the code from the rooftops because of a technologically primitive and flawed system. It’s madness.

CaptainRAVE · 9 Oct 2020 at 15:40

Someone on my road had their car keys fished from the letter box. Mine sit next to my bed.

Barks · 9 Oct 2020 at 15:47

Do you get screwed on the insurance renewal if you make a claim for something like this? Or is it surely considered something that isn’t really your fault (other than owning a desirable car)

happy_2008 · 9 Oct 2020 at 16:07

CaptainRAVE said:
Someone on my road had their car keys fished from the letter box. Mine sit next to my bed.

Not sure thats the best idea if people want to barge into your house for your car keys. I leave mine downstairs out of sight from the main door.

chrcoluk · 9 Oct 2020 at 16:21

Rroff said:
Whelp from the video it looks like they know what they are doing and well practised very deliberate and calm - some of it suggests to me this was not at all random but I can't really see a vehicle like that being stolen to order.

Bit scary that if you had interrupted them, etc. it could have gone one of 2 ways either so prepared and organised they'd have simply disappeared or been very efficient at dealing with you physically to prevent you intervening.

When i got burgled I remember telling the police I was unlucky to miss them as they only had a 5 minute window, the lady doing the fingerprint checking then proceeded to tell me I was lucky as I likely would be in hospital if I interrupted them. Not sure I agree with her though, don't want to make it easy for burglars.

Sadly I expect like my case, if they get no lead's within a few days the case will get closed, the police are swamped.

chrcoluk · 9 Oct 2020 at 16:25

Kenai said:
I think this level of organisation is pretty routine for most car theft these days. Because it's so easy to do it to anything keyless in particular, it can be 'planned' much more easily, I don't think much theft (proportionally) is opportunist anymore, though that does spike a bit in winter with people leaving cars running on driveways.

It's a fairly basic operation all told - one guy on lookout (and in this case, with fake plates ready by the look of it), one guy with a repeater by the door, one guy with a receiver who gets the car going - once you're in and started, everyone else can jump in and you quietly drive away. It's rare for it to take more than a few minutes.

I agree I think when i got burgled it was planned, at the time I got burgled I was at home 24/7 and only out when going to the coop, and just by coincidence they did it when I was at the coop. (in the day as well).

m@rty · 9 Oct 2020 at 16:38

I like the idea of those ghost immobiliser systems but know nothing about them really. Would something like that work on keyless entry cars?

Nasher · 9 Oct 2020 at 16:50

Need one which you can cut the engine remotely.

m@rty · 9 Oct 2020 at 16:54

The version I saw requires you to press a combination of buttons in the car in a certain order otherwise the engine won’t start, seemed pretty cool.

chrcoluk · 9 Oct 2020 at 16:54

Em3bbs said:
When I log into the BMW Connected website it tells me the last time the vehicle was connected, which was a few minutes after it was stolen:

Having to be in the vehicle to activate it, seems a glaring weakness.

chrcoluk · 9 Oct 2020 at 16:57

Nasher said:
If they did it that cleanly then it will have been pre-planned out. Not just an opportunistic theft.

The whole "keyless" thing is a joke tbh. People wouldn't have a keyless door to their house (unless they are really dumb) so why have it on a car :/

People keep making stupid gadgets and completely overlook security holes. Like those Alexa controlled door locks. They didn't consider that anyone can just shout through the letterbox and tell it to unlock

That has really happened? wow.

Nasher · 9 Oct 2020 at 16:59

chrcoluk said:
That has really happened? wow.

Yep, you can prevent it by locking it to your voice commands only. But most people don't bother and how much can it be trusted not to respond anyway?