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‘Relay attack theft’ is on the rise
30 July 2021
‘Relay attack theft’, which involves the use of technology to pick up the signal from a car key inside a house and relay it back to a portable device which allows criminals to unlock a vehicle and drive it away, is on the rise.
According to provisional figures from the National Police Chief’s Council, vehicle crime increased by 3.1 per cent between May 2021 and June 2021.
Provisional figures from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) show a 3.1% increase between May 2021 and June 2021 in vehicle crime – the majority of which was relay attack theft.
In the week commencing July 12 2021, Leicestershire Police were able to convict seven members of an organised crime gang involved in at least 50 relay attack thefts which amounted to £2.4 million in value. Their combined jail sentences totalled more than 30 years.
Earlier in July 2021, five individuals in Liverpool received a combined total of 23 years in prison for various offences including relay attack theft amounting to £2.6 million.
NPCC lead for vehicle crime Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said, “Car theft is a serious crime that causes significant distress and upset to owners and police are putting considerable resources into tackling it and bringing those responsible to justice.
“Whilst the rapid development of technology has dramatically improved the experience of drivers it has also allowed criminals to exploit weaknesses in electronic security.
“As fast as manufacturers try to develop ways to strengthen vehicle security, thieves will work just as hard to beat them.”
AA head of roads policy Jack Cousens said, “The days of ‘smash and grab’ are over and have been replaced with ‘bounce and roll’ as thieves now bounce the signal off the keys in the house onto the car and roll away with the goods.
“The best way to protect cars with keyless entry is to keep keys away from the front door and to buy a faraday pouch. For less than a tenner, this stops the signal being broadcast and will keep the car where it’s parked. Drivers should remember to buy two pouches – one for main key and one for the spare”.
We at Marshall Leasing are always keen to keep our customers up to date with the latest news about scams, thefts and other vehicle-related crime. We trust that you find this information useful.
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Marshall Leasing is a Bank of Ireland-owned business which offers a commercial and flexible approach to business contract hire, contract purchase, sale and leaseback for cars and LCVs fleets and management of purchased fleets.
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