Thieves Can Now Steal A Car (Without Keys) In Under 60 Seconds

With all the technology available today, it’s getting easier and easier for vandals and thieves to do what they do. This video released by the West Midlands Police Department is a perfect example.

This is believed to be the first footage of a ‘relay crime’ in that allows thieves to drive off in vehicles without needing to even see the owner’s keys. How crazy (and scary) is that? You can see both men in the video carrying relay boxes after they pull up to the victim’s house. The devices are capable of receiving signals through walls, doors, and windows, however, they don’t work with metal.

They work when the box receives a signal from the key inside and transmits it to the second box next to the car. The car’s systems then think that the key is present and so it’s unlocked. The thieves can hop inside and drive off – all in under a minute. And the sad part is, there’s not much you can do about it if you aren’t aware of what’s going on.

This particular vehicle hasn’t been recovered yet. There is a solution for the new-tech method though. The Midlands Police Department recommends owners using an additional tested and Thatcham-approved steering lock to cover the entire steering wheel.