The Rise Of High Value Car Thefts
May 12, 2023
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Mercedes, BMWs, Audis, and Range Rovers are just some of the high value vehicles thieves have been targeting more often over the last few years. Ever since keyless entry became an option for the everyday consumer, thieves have found new ways to steal cars and get away in just a matter of minutes, if not seconds. Leaving vehicle owners car less and without much-loved and valuable property. This article from Trackershop explains the rise of car thefts in the UK, which car brands and models thieves are targeting and offers some advice on security and safeguarding of your vehicle.
Keyless car theft increasing
Owners of keyless entry cars have been warned by police over the last few months and years to be cautious and be vigilant to potential criminal gangs.
With a rise in theft over the past few months, country-wide, police are aware of the tactics of gangs of thieves who target keyless entry vehicles. Using a style of theft known as a ‘relay attack’. Thieves can easily pick up the signal of car keys that are stored within the home, replicate this using what is known as a relay box and steal the car without causing any damage. This new way of stealing vehicles has made it easier for thieves to bypass complex alarm systems and avoid being spotted by owners and neighbours. Making off with high value vehicles and often selling these on to pre-arranged buyers, both in the UK and abroad.
Commonly targeted vehicles
Some of the most popular high value vehicles include high spec BMWs such as the X5, which has been on the list of most stolen vehicles in the UK for a number of years now. Others include Range Rover Evoques, Land Rover Discovery, Audi Q7, and Mercedes GLC.
It’s important to note that the groups of people targeting such high value vehicles are not always your amateur chancers, in fact these are more and more likely to be members of large criminal gangs. Becoming more tech savvy, they are able to target cars worth beyond £50,000, get away within seconds, shipping these across the country, selling the vehicles to make money. Sometimes, and quite unfortunately, these gangs will have buyers already lined up waiting to buy these stolen vehicles. This is why it is incredibly important to report a car theft as soon as you are aware, so that police can stop these sales in their tracks.
Theft-proofing your car
In order to protect your vehicle at a time when car thefts are on the rise, police and security providers recommend a number of theft-proofing measures.
- Enhance your vehicle’s physical security by applying a steering wheel lock
- Disable your key’s signal during the night
- Park your car in a position or place that makes it too difficult for thieves to drive away
- Consider installing a driveway barrier or gate as a deterrent
- Install a GPS tracking device to track your vehicle’s location at all times