Driver warns of spate of keyless car thefts in Milton Keynes area

A resident has issued a warning after his street has suffered a spate of keyless car thefts.

The man, who lives in Broughton Village, had his own car stolen and has heard of three other incidents in the same street in recent weeks.

"Someone else I know in Broughton has just had their car targeted also. It seems a lot of incidents for one area," he said.

On each occasion the crooks, who have always struck in the middle of the night, have used a special relay device to get the signal from the car key inside the house.

It allows them to unlock the car, start it and drove it away. Luckily I had an immobiliser on my car so they were only able to get a short distance down the road," said the resident, who owns a Mercedes.

CCTV from most of the incidents has been handed to police, who are investigating.

The resident is now advising car owners to spend a few pounds buying a special RFID blocking pouch to keep their keys in. This blocks the signal from the relay device and stops the thieves in their tracks.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: "Keyless theft, also known as relay theft, is the phrase given to the theft of cars with a keyless entry system. Criminals use equipment to intercept the signal from the key inside the house and use this to unlock and start the car and then drive away. This means that even if your car and home are secure, thieves can still unlock, start and steal your car."

He added: "There are simple steps that you can take to reduce your risk of falling victim to this type of crime. Box It: placing your keys in a metal tin can be enough to block the signal from travelling any further. Bag It: another option is to purchase a signal-blocking pouch and keep your keys in this when they’re not in use. Block It: as an extra security measure where possible, consider using other vehicles to block your keyless car in so it can’t be easily driven away."

The spokesman added: "Some keys have an option to turn off the signal transmitted from it, sometimes with the double press of a button, so it’s worth checking your manual to see whether yours has this functionality."