Relay Theft Takes 60 Seconds.
Your Car isn't an exception.
See How it Happens:
Relay Attacks are the easiest, and most common way Push-To-Start Cars are stolen
Relay Theft involves two thieves and can take under a minute.
One thief stands next to your house with a device that is built to relay your key fobs signal. It doesn't matter how far away your key fob is, they are still able to amplify the signal.
The other thief stands next to your car with a similar device that acts as the key fob that is "sending" the wake up signal. This tricks the car into thinking that the key is there which allows the car to unlock and start.
How Does Your Key Fob Work?
The type of signal that your key sends out are called Short-Range Radio Frequencies. These operate around the 315 MHz range.
In order for the car to "wake up", the car itself is always sending out low-frequency signals. Whenever the key fob is in range, usually a few feet, the key fob replies to that signal with a high frequency signal.
How Do Thieves' Exploit This?
Although all of the codes sent are "rolling" (meaning the code is constantly changing based off of a preset pattern encoded in both the key fob and the car), the thief's device does not need to know what is encoded in signal.
This means that no matter if the signal is encrypted, rolling, or out of range, the thief's device is still able to amplify the signal.
Why Is it Called Relay Theft?
The reason it is called "Relay Theft" is because the device literally relays the signal. They relay the key fob's signal to the car, which triggers the car to authenticate it, which forces the car to send another low frequency signal, and the key to send a signal back.
This is how thieves can open and start your car like the key is with them. The device serves as a middleman in transmitting the signal.
Stop Relay Theft Before it Starts
Everything You Need to Keep Your Car, in Your Driveway
Faraday Bag:
- One way that radio frequency signals can be blocked, is something called a faraday bag. This bag is made out of a mesh that is made from copper, nickel, and aluminum.
- These metals are dense enough, when woven together, to create a shield for radio frequency signals (RF), and and also electromagnetic fields (EMI).
- Placing your key fob inside of the bag blocks all of the signals entirely. This means no low frequency, or high frequency signals can go in or out.
Wireless Tracker:
- Obviously, relay theft isn't the only way that cars can get stolen. However a lot of the other ways are either a lot more difficult, more expensive, take longer, or a combination of all of those.
- Most thieves do not have time, so they go with the fastest method. Relay Theft. If thieves are able to steal your car with another method, the tracker makes sure that you can recover your car.
- The tracker can either work on Apple Find My, Google FInd My, or both. There is no subscription meaning no monthly fees or renewals.
- The tracker comes with a magnetic case so that you can place it virtually anywhere. Most thieves check the glovebox, center console, and the spare tire well for trackers.
- The case allows you to place the tracker in harder to reach, and harder to find areas. The places we recommend are inside of the engine bay on body panels, the frame of your car in any location, or the underside also in any location.
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