What will help you keep your car secure?

When UK car crime rocketed in the 1990s, considerable efforts were made by the authorities to thwart the thieves. It had a dramatic effect. Vehicle crime decreased from early 1990s levels of 625,000 to 75,000 by 2016.

Why car security matters today?

Since that time, complacency has set in. Stolen vehicle squads ended up being disbanded from police forces, with the result that many car thefts today tend to be treated as low-level crime. It was a catastrophic move. Vehicle crime increased from 75,000 in 2016 to just under 90,000 by June 2022. These figures continue to show an updated trend, growing to just over 129,000 between mid-2022 and mid-2023

Have car thieves become more dangerous?

While many opportunist thieves have been deterred, the hardened criminal fraternity remains. These organised criminal gangs are using stolen vehicle profits to fund other crimes, including drugs, terrorism and people trafficking. Unfortunately, they are increasing and adopting more dangerous techniques, such as breaking into houses to retrieve the keys. Unfortunately, many police forces view vehicle crime in itself as a low-level priority, due possibly to budget cuts and recruitment challenges.

Why is modern car security not good enough?

Ironically, some new car technologies have weakened security. Certain systems that aid driver convenience and those that have made cars less polluting and more efficient have made them easier to steal. Such examples include keyless entry fobs and digital CAN-bus wiring.

There is also the problem of leapfrog. If a new car features novel security technology, the thief will work out how to overcome it, given time. The aftermarket industry discovers the vulnerability and engineers fixes in response. Car manufacturers then learn and apply these modifications, usually, when a car model is facelifted, or replaced. Then, the cycle repeats.

What types of car security are out there?

Car security falls into three categories: electronic, physical and external. The former two are fitted to the car. The last one looks at other factors, such as garage door locks, or retractable driveway bollards.

Thatcham Research tends to accredit electronic systems on new vehicles. An explanation of how it does this is detailed in our accompanying blog.

Yet, do not treat Thatcham as the last word in security systems. Effective physical aftermarket anti-theft systems, such as steering locks, pedal boxes, door locks, et al, tend to be accredited by Safe Secure. You can also trust the advice from Vehicle Security Solutions Today Ltd, VSST, which was established to uphold standards in the security arena. The Tracking and Aftermarket Security System Association (TASSA) is a group of companies, formed by VSST, in response to Home Office requests for a programme of high-quality aftermarket tracking and security systems.

Common modern car theft methods and how to prevent them

OBD port hacking

This is when a thief accesses the on-board diagnostic socket on your car with special equipment to trick the vehicle into disabling its security systems and starting the engine.

If this crime is common on your particular car (such as certain high-performance Fords), you can obtain a kit that will either cover the port, or reposition it.

CAN injection

This is a more modern version of OBD port hacking, where the thief does not even have to enter the cabin. Instead, the data wiring system is accessed from behind a lamp, or panel.

It is worth investigating if your car is vulnerable to this type of attack and consider physical protection to thwart the thief. An example might be to make it harder for the thief to access the physical wiring. Physical shields are available, such as TVL's LoomGuard, which protects the wiring.

Relay theft

Keyless theft is one of the most common modern methods that thieves employ to steal vehicles. This method involves no need to touch the car physically. The thief clones the signal being emitted from the key fob, while it resides in the driver's pocket, or a domestic hallway. This information is stored on a special transmitter. When held close to the car's receiver, the vehicle believes that the thief possesses the real keys.

While Faraday pouches (as pictured) represent an inexpensive means of blocking the signal, the truth is that few of them are effective for long. When TASSA tested them, it found that, in many cases, the material was not sufficiently robust for constant use. Therefore, expect to renew them every three years. Consider buying a pair, so your spare fob is protected, too.

Hanoi burglary

This is when a thief breaks into a house to steal the keys. One reason might be that the keyless signal cannot be intercepted easily, especially if the car is rare, in high demand, or has an especially high value.

Part protection

Some owners return to their vehicles, finding that it has been stripped of expensive parts. These vary from catalytic converters to complete panels. Marking kits, such as those made by RetainaGroup, can etch components with a code that is linked to a secure and established database, from which the owner’s details can be traced.

Theft of valuables

Typically, vans are vulnerable, because they carry expensive tools. Fortunately, options include a variety of upgraded locks, latches and handles.

What will help keep your car secure?

At the time of writing, Ghost Immobilisers are being seen by security experts as making a real difference to car security.

When installed in the car, criminals can neither find it physically, because the location is different for each vehicle. They also cannot disarm it. Ghost immobilisers protect the vehicle from key cloning, hacking and theft. Instead of requiring a separate keypad, or fob, it utilises the existing buttons on your vehicle (such as those on the door panel, steering wheel, or fascia) from which you can input your chosen disarm sequence.

An emergency disarm sequence also features and the accompanying mobile 'phone app can connect one car to two phones. Crucially, the hardware is so small that it can be hidden virtually everywhere within the vehicle, making it almost impossible to trace. As it does not emit radio frequency signals, unlike a tracker, it cannot be detected with digital equipment, either.

The downside is that Ghost immobilisers must be installed professionally. Installers must be TASSA verified, trained and even CRB checked. Specific information, including the Vehicle Identification (chassis) Number, registration number and details about how that particular Ghost unit has been installed, is logged with Autowatch, in case a future owner wishes to remove it. Additionally, this data is passed to Retainagroup’s secure International Security Register (ISR).

Everyday Habits That Help Keep Your Car Secure

Aside from fitting security equipment, there are everyday things you can do to reduce the chance of your car being broken into, or stolen.

Keeping all valuables out of view helps to deter the opportunist. When parking, ensure that all the doors are locked and keep the car in public view. At night, ensure it is not hidden in dark areas. Keep your keys stored securely in your home, away from the letterbox. Consider visual deterrents, too, such as a steering wheel lock. Even if these visual security systems are not top-of-the-range, they might be sufficient to encourage a car thief to move to another vehicle.

Keep up to date with GEM Motoring Assist at:

X: @motoringassist

Facebook: @gemmotoringassist

Instagram: @gem_motoringassist

LinkedIn: @gem-motoring-assist

Share this page on social media below: