Smart keys make cars easier to steal

The US Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has warned that cars using smart keys can be stolen easily without leaving a trace.

NICB says there is a “mystery device” being used by car thieves that can make your car evaporate without a trace. The device detects and steals the radio frequency of a car within 3m and transmits the information to a device called a “relay box” that allows it to open the car’s doors and start the engine like the “real” one.

NICB, working with retailer CarMax, tested 35 different models and unlocked 19 vehicles. Of those, 18 were driven away and 12 were able to restart as soon as the engine was turned off again. NICB said it has no data on how many vehicles were stolen with the technology, with no evidence left behind. NICB warned about a similar device in 2014.

Joe Wehrle, CEO of NICB, said the device may not work on all makes or models of cars, but it certainly works well enough that thieves can target multiple vehicles and steal them with relative ease. The scariest part is that there is no warning or explanation for the owner unless the theft is caught on security cameras. Many victims simply think the car was towed for a parking violation or something similar.

Perhaps the biggest drawback of this device is that the thief must be close enough to the car to steal the unlock code. However, the possibility of finding it will be lower in countries with few surveillance cameras like Vietnam.

According to TNO