Watch the shocking moment high-tech thieves stole a man's car in under a minute

Name: Device prevents car theft by protecting keys
Duration: 1 min 35 s
Description: Keyless Protector, a small device that blocks the car key's signal at the driver's command, prevents modern cars from being stolen by protecting the car key. Roselle Chen reports.

Jane Howdle

5 October 2018 at 5:58 am

This is the shocking moment thieves stole a man’s car from outside his home using the latest high-tech hacking equipment.

Police are hunting the men after they were caught on video using sophisticated equipment to steal the vehicle.

Property developer Jason Lang, 49, captured footage of the moment two masked men gained access to his £30,000 Toyota within seconds, while the wireless key was still inside his house.

A masked man is seen walking around the side of the house holding a transmittor (PA)

Mr Lang discovered the fate of his year-old vehicle when he watched CCTV recordings of his driveway in Heywood, Greater Manchester.

“The keys were actually located about 30 feet away from where the thief was stood,” explained Mr Lang.

They were able to drive away in the car by using a powerful transmitter to trick the car’s onboard computer into believing the key was present and allow it to be unlocked and started.

Success: As the car lights turn on, a second man can be seen in the driver’s seat (PA)

Larry Trowell, a consultant at technology company Synopsys Inc, said the device took advantage of the car’s keyless starting feature.

He added that such devices can have an effective range of over 300 metres.

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Mr Lang took precautions to protect his vehicle, and believed the keys were safe.

He said: “I had it in my mind, never leave your keys on your porch windowsill for two reasons: they can either be hooked through your door or there are devices that can interfere with them.

“Not in my wildest dreams did I think something could pick a signal up from that distance.”

The first man races back to the light-coloured car (PA)

Mr Trowell recommended motorists store keys as far away from external walls as possible, or consider using a radio-frequency shield or an ‘old-school’ steering wheel lock.

Last year, the vehicle tracking specialists Tracker released statistics revealing that 96 per cent of motorists are at risk from so-called ‘relay’ thefts, in which thieves use transmitters to access cars without keys.

With the first man in the back seat, both cars flee the scene (PA)

Mr Lang said it was “vital” that more is done to increase awareness of these kinds of high-tech thefts but added that he believed responsibility should lie with the manufacturer.

“The customer should be no worse off through no fault of their own,” he said.

Greater Manchester Police have launched an investigation and are appealing for anyone with any information to come forward.