One of the most unsettling worries as a car owner is having your vehicle stolen, and rightfully so. Our cars are often our pride and joy and are a considerable investment that we frankly don’t want taken from us. However, with car thefts on the rise and more and more high-tech methods in use, it’s becoming an increasingly scary reality for some drivers. With over 100,000 cars stolen each year and many of these not recovered, knowing whether your vehicle is most at risk and how to protect it is crucial. From preventing keyless entry to making sure your security systems are repaired and in perfect working order, here’s what you need to know to protect your vehicle from theft:

Why Are So Many Cars Being Stolen?

Car theft is on the rise, there’s no doubt about that – every day, we’re hearing about more and more vehicles being taken from their owner’s driveways or from their parking spots, never to be seen again. While some are recovered easily, others are often never found or shipped overseas before they can be recovered or in some extreme cases, can be damaged in police chases or parts removed to be sold separately. 

Upgrades in both automotive technology, as well as the technology available to thieves, has made stealing cars easier with the right set up and tech, particularly for cars with keyless entry. Vehicles with a keyless entry and stop/start system are the most vulnerable to theft, with thieves using methods including:

• Relay Attacks – Relay attacks are perhaps the most covered kind of theft, and the most common culprit for theft of keyless entry and ignition vehicles. Two thieves usually operate together, with one holding up a signal transmitter by the vehicle, and the other holding an amplifier by the house. If the key is close enough to the front door or windows, the amplifier will pick up the signal, increase it, and the transmitter can unlock the car and start it up.
• Key Cloning – If a thief at any time has access to your key – such as at a garage or car wash, it’s possible they could clone the signal using a specific device. You’ll usually get your key back, but they can steal your car from your home address at a later date. 
• Signal Blocking – When you get out of your car and walk away, do you double check that it’s locked? Most modern cars will give a beep and blink its lights, but when you hear this daily, it can be easy to forget if you have. Signal blockers are used to prevent the locking from occurring and for drivers that forget to check, this can lead to the car not locking, and therefore the theft of valuables inside the car, and the car itself.

The Most Commonly Stolen Brands

When it comes to vehicle theft, there is no particular brand that seems to be safe, however there are a number of brands that are considered to be the most commonly stolen. Whether this is due to the ease of the act, the value of the car itself or the hardware available to thieves, it’s worth checking if your car is one of the ones most at risk: 

1. Land Rover – 924 in every 100,000
2. Mercedes-Benz – 323 in every 100,000
3. Ford – 292 in every 100,000
4. BMW – 290 in every 100,000
5. Audi – 216 in every 100,000
6. Toyota – 185 in every 100,000
7. Fiat – 152 in every 100,000
8. Volkswagen – 149 in every 100,000
9. Vauxhall – 145 in every 100,000
10.  Hyundai – 135 in every 100,000

As you can see, Land Rover takes the lead by a substantial margin, with just over 600 more cars stolen than the next most common brand, Mercedes-Benz. This equates to around 1 in every 100 Land Rovers, or Range Rovers, with around 8,284 of 896,948 licensed vehicles reported stolen. Much of their lead could be down to the ease of theft using keyless entry and driving, as well as the added benefit of them being easier to sell following the theft, particularly overseas.

What Can You Do To Prevent It?

Preventing theft can be as simple as buying a faraday pouch for your key to block the signal or keeping your vehicle behind lock and key in a garage, but for those without a garage or who want to cover all bases, preventing theft can look like: 

• Blocking key signal – putting your car’s key in a signal-blocking pouch or box, and keeping it safe and away from prying eyes can help prevent the theft of your car using the key. 
• Steering Wheel Locks – Even if someone manages to get into your car and start the ignition, a steering wheel lock will make it impossible for them to take the car anywhere. While it’s not impossible to remove them, it will buy time and most thieves will walk by a car that has a wheel lock for this reason. 
• Keep Your Car In Good Shape – While a well-cared-for car might seem like a stronger target than a damaged alternative, keeping on top of the maintenance for security features on your car and ensuring that you get any vehicle repairs as and when you need them will ensure that there are as few vulnerabilities to exploit as possible. 
• Cameras – CCTV cameras for your home are a great way to not only protect your vehicle, but your home too. You could also invest in a dash cam that records any movement, particularly one that provides footage wirelessly. 

For more information regarding the security measures you can take and how we can help, simply get in touch with a member of our team, today.