KEYLESS THEFT
Stolen without a sound.
Relay theft takes under a minute, breaks nothing and sets off no alarm. Here is exactly how it works — and how to stop it.
THE ATTACK
How a relay attack works
Keyless entry works by conversation. Your car asks whether the key is nearby — and it cannot tell how far away the answer came from.
STEP 1
They find the signal
One person stands close to your house — by the front door, a window, a porch — with a device that picks up the faint signal from your keys inside.
STEP 2
They relay it to the car
That signal is passed to a second device held next to your car. The car hears what it believes is your key standing right beside it.
STEP 3
They drive away
The doors unlock, the start button works, and nothing is smashed. From the pavement it looks exactly like the owner getting into their own car.
THE USUAL ADVICE
The biscuit tin is not a plan.
Keys in a metal tin, keys in the microwave, keys upstairs at the back of the house — these are all attempts at the same idea: put metal or distance between the fob and the street.
They work inconsistently, they depend on you remembering every single night, and none of them tell you whether they are actually working.
THE FIX
A pouch, and ten seconds to test it
A Faraday pouch is lined with a conductive layer that blocks radio signals getting in or out. Fob in, closed properly, conversation over.
01
Both fobs, every time
The spare in the kitchen drawer is just as relayable as the one in your pocket. Most homes need two — which is why ours are two for £15.
02
Close it fully
A pouch left half open blocks nothing. Fold it over properly, every time, and it becomes a habit within a week.
03
Test it, then re-test it
Stand next to your car with the fob sealed inside. If the doors do not unlock, it is working. Check again every few months — linings wear.
LAYER TWO
Close the other door too.
A pouch stops the electronic way in. It does not stop someone who breaks a window and tows the car.
A steering lock stops the car being steered away, and it is visible from the pavement before anyone even tries. Pouch plus lock covers both routes — and if you order them together you only pay the lock’s delivery.
Two pouches. Fifteen pounds.
Add two Faraday key pouches to your basket and the discount applies automatically at checkout. One for your keys, one for the spare.