Rise in keyless Land Rover thefts prompts police warning

Police have warned drivers of keyless Land Rover SUVs to keep their car keys or fobs away from the vehicles following a rise in thefts.

Officers said 16 Land Rover models, including Range Rovers, have been stolen from Lanarkshire alone since December.

Six have been recovered.

Keyless car theft (sometimes called relay theft) is a way of stealing a vehicle without using the physical key fob.

The targeted vehicles have keyless entry and start systems, with raiders exploiting the technology to get into the car and drive it away.

Superintendent Raymond Higgins said: “In Lanarkshire, we have seen an increase in keyless car thefts recently and we understand that a stolen car can be very upsetting for owners.

“We have a dedicated team of officers with the priority of investigating these thefts and disrupting this criminal activity.

“It is imperative that car owners stay one step ahead of criminals in the fight against this type of crime and we’d encourage people to take a few extra precautions to support preventing this activity.”

He said a few simple steps can help prevent drivers becoming victims of car theft.

“When you are at home, keep your car keys or fobs away from the car, don’t leave them near your doors or windows,” he said.

“Buy a signal-blocking pouch – this can block the transmission of the signal from the car key. You can buy these online.

“Using a steering lock can be an effective way of ensuring that your vehicle is not stolen, it can be a useful deterrent.

“If you have a garage, I would strongly recommend that you use it to secure vehicle. Park in the driveway if you have one.

“Additional patrols will be carried out in an effort to prevent this kind of criminality.

“If you witness any suspicious activity, I would ask you contact Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.”

In November, data from insurance company Aviva showed motorists with keyless vehicles were around twice as likely to make a theft claim as those with vehicles which were not keyless.

The company published some tips on how to reduce the risk of vehicle thefts.

They included: lock the door, no matter where you park, even if you need to leave your vehicle unattended for just a minute; use a steering wheel lock or foot pedal lock; fit a vehicle tracking system; park in well-lit and busier areas.