Car theft

Car theft myths exposed

“A tennis ball sliced in half and placed over a door lock will activate the central locking.”

The truth:
Perhaps one of the most famous car theft tricks, with claims that it works written all over the Internet. The idea is that you place half a tennis ball over a door lock, then whack it – and the resulting change in air pressure opens it up. A video is even posted on the YouTube website which supposedly shows the method working.

However, we’ve tried this out on more than 30 vehicles, and had no success at all. DC Elliott added: “This did actually work for a short while on some models in the mid-Eighties. It was very quickly fixed, though, and can’t be
used on anything modern.”

“If you kick a front bumper hard enough, it sets off the
airbags and opens the doors.”

The truth:
Another method that once worked. Some of the very first cars to be fitted with airbags in the early Nineties had fairly crude sensors placed close to the front, behind the bumper. A suitably hard thump in the right place with a well aimed boot or heavy hammer would see the airbag deploy and the locks automatically pop open. This was designed to aid rescue attempts after an accident.

DC Elliott said: “Even if it worked, it was very difficult to find the right place to hit, and only applied to a handful of cars. There were and are easier ways to break into a vehicle, and they make a lot less noise, too.”

“Universal television remote controls can be programmed to disarm alarm systems.”

The truth:
Anyone who has struggled to programme a universal remote control will wonder how on earth it can be made to do anything which isn’t covered in the instruction book. But rumours are rife that you can use these gadgets to open car locks as well. Our expert told us: “Some of these devices have a ‘record’ function, where they capture the signal from your controller and then replay it. If thieves could get in the way of a car’s plipper when the owner presses the button, the theory is that they could ‘grab’ the frequency.

“The trouble is, every car produced since the Nineties has featured a ‘rolling code’ remote which changes the signal each time it is used, so the method no longer works.”

“Short-circuiting the battery will fuse any tracking device.”

The truth:
Thieves have two main options when attempting to steal a modern car. They can either take the keys or lift it on to the back of a truck.

Yet whichever they go for, a tracking device will strike fear into their hearts, as it can lead police to the crooks’ hideaway. What’s more, even though there are many different types of tracker available, even the most basic systems have back-ups which continue to transmit for two days after the power has been disconnected.

DC Elliott said: “Short-circuiting the car’s battery is more likely to result in a nasty shock for the thief, blow all the other fuses in the vehicle or cause a fire, making it impossible to steal and expensive to repair.”

“Removing an indicator bulb and short-circuiting the socket will fuse the alarm.”

The truth:
When a modern car’s alarm system is activated, it will usually flash the indicators. In a bid to beat the security, thieves figured that if they smashed the lens and put metal across the pins, the alarm would fuse. DC Elliott revealed that this method did work, but only on the very oldest and cheapest DIY-fit alarms. “Another trick was for the criminals to keep setting off the security system,” said our expert. “After a few ‘false alarms’, the owner would get so sick of being woken that they would disarm the car. That’s when the thieves would make their move.

“Thankfully, though, the latest generation of security systems have a sensor, which ensures this doesn’t happen.”

“Thieves can use a laptop computer to steal your car.”

The truth:
These days, cars have the sort of computer technology that could have run a space programme a few years ago. This will keep opportunists at bay, but can it also make your motor easy prey for PC-savvy criminals?

Not according to DC Elliott. “You can’t just press a few buttons on a laptop and make a car start,” he told us. “You’d have to spend a long time under the bonnet with the right equipment.

“It’s the sort of thing that can only really happen after a vehicle has been lifted by a tow truck and hidden away somewhere.”

“Putting a stereo in the freezer wipes the security code.”

The truth:
Another long-running rumour. When the first-ever security-coded radio arrived in the Eighties, someone found the memory could be wiped if it was subjected to temperatures below -20 degrees Centigrade. Then, any code could be entered and the stereo would work.

But DC Elliott said: “The manufacturer quickly fixed the problem and it hasn’t worked on that or any other stereo since. This hasn’t stopped people still trying it, though. And doing this mostly results in another part of the stereo – usually the LCD display or CD player – breaking and rendering
the whole unit worthless.”

“Immobilisers can be bypassed simply by unplugging the ECU and swapping it for one from a scrap car.”

The truth:
On most modern vehicles, the main components of the immobiliser are actually an integral part of the engine control unit (ECU). The security system checks that the transponder in the key is giving off the right signals before it will let the engine work. So it makes sense that replacing the ECU for one from a scrap car and then using a matching key will enable you to turn the ignition and drive away.

DC Elliott said: “I’m sure this has happened in the past, but when you plug in another unit, it’s not simply the case that everything would work straight away. All the electronic components need to match.

“The majority of vehicles have other crucial parts of the security system scattered around the car that would need to be changed as well.”

“Tracking signals are blocked by wrapping a car in tin foil.”

The truth:
This rumour actually led to at least one hapless car criminal trying it out. He found that it didn’t work when he was arrested by some highly amused police officers.

The theory is that signals given off by the tracking unit will be blocked by the foil. To test it out, try wrapping your mobile phone in some and you will see that you can’t receive any calls.

DC Elliott said: “Cars are much bigger and difficult to wrap properly, so there are always gaps through which the signal can escape. Also, tracking device signals are more powerful as they are designed to transmit through a car’s bodywork which, like foil, is made of metal.”

“Stealing a petrol cap allows you to get a key cut.”

The truth:
In theory, this is another method which could actually work. But in practice, it would be pointless. A thief could prise off the locking petrol cap and then use the barrel to get a matching key cut. Yet the scam unravels quickly for several reasons. Firstly, you would need a locksmith who was willing to do it for you. Then, you’d have to find one of the few cars that have a locking petrol cap which uses the same key as the doors and ignition.

DC Elliott explained: “Even then, any car produced in the past decade will have an immobiliser, so the key will get you in through the door but won’t start the engine. And if the crook wants to open the door, it’s easier to just force the locks than to worry about ripping off the petrol cap.”

“Ford radio parts can be used to get satellite TV channels for free through a Sky box.”

The truth:
This scam might sound unlikely, but the rumour has been enough to cause outbreaks of crime in several areas of Britain, all involving thefts of radios from Fords.

Apparently, some of the components fitted to the stereo in a Focus can be ripped out and put inside a Sky digital receiver. DC Elliott said. “The rumour that this then unlocks all the pay-to-view channels and lets you watch them for free has spread by text message. However, both Ford and Sky have said categorically that this is utter nonsense.”

“Thieves use Bluetooth equipment to check for expensive gadgets hidden
in parked vehicles.”

The truth:
Here’s the theory. You park in a multi-storey and store your laptop and sat-nav in the boot, away from prying eyes. But the thieves are one step ahead and use a mobile phone with Bluetooth to see through the vehicle’s metal and spot the hidden kit.

It can work, too – by asking your phone to find Bluetooth devices, you can see what other electronics there are in the area. “This is only a risk if the owner leaves their gadget on and has it set to Bluetooth discoverable,”
said DC Elliott. “But who does that? Most thieves just see someone park and watch them stash their valuables. They wait until they are out of sight and then break in. There is no need to scan with Bluetooth!”