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High-tech car theft devices sold for up to £22,000 online
Sophisticated electronic gadgets enabling thieves to steal keyless vehicles without physical break-ins are being traded online for sums exceeding £20,000, a BBC investigation reveals. Organised crime networks now rent these devices to gangs targeting luxury models-from Lamborghinis to Maseratis-while evading law enforcement through cross-border operations.
How relay theft works
Criminals exploit wireless key fob signals to unlock and start cars parked outside homes. Devices-some disguised as Bluetooth speakers-amplify the key's signal from inside a property, tricking the vehicle into recognizing the fob's proximity. High-end models can cost up to €25,000 (£22,000), according to price lists and tutorial videos uncovered by the BBC.
More advanced tools even block GPS trackers, preventing recovery once a car is stolen. Richard Billyeald of Thatcham Research, which advises the automotive industry on security, stated:
"There's no legitimate use for these devices. They exist solely to steal cars-often to order-by organised gangs maximizing profits."
Richard Billyeald, Thatcham Research
Victims describe 'invasion' as thefts surge
Abbie Brookes-Morris, a Wolverhampton resident, told the BBC her keyless car was stolen in under two minutes while she slept. Doorbell footage showed thieves pacing outside her home, searching for the key fob's signal. "It's an invasion," she said. "They didn't enter the house, but you don't feel safe." Police later recovered the vehicle-rendered unusable due to the theft method.
National data mirrors the trend: Over 100,000 vehicles were stolen in the past year, per Home Office figures analyzed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Admiral Insurance estimates 60-70% of those thefts involved keyless models, though exact numbers tied to relay devices remain unclear.
Organised crime outpaces policing
Experts warn the impending Crime and Policing Bill, which criminalizes possession of theft devices (punishable by up to five years in prison), may fail to curb the trade. Neil Thomas, a vehicle recovery specialist, explained gangs loan gadgets across regions, stealing "10 cars a week" to offset costs. "This is cross-border, industrial-scale crime," he said.
Jack Cousens of the AA noted the shift from "smash-and-grab" to tech-driven theft:
Previously, prosecutions required proof a device was used in a specific crime-a hurdle the new law aims to remove."Keyless entry is convenient until your street becomes a relay theft hotspot. Thieves adapt faster than security can."
Jack Cousens, AA
What's next
The Crime and Policing Bill, currently advancing through Parliament, seeks to close legal loopholes by banning possession of relay theft tools. Yet industry analysts caution that organised networks-already profiting from rental schemes-may continue evading crackdowns by rotating devices and targeting high-value exports.
