Keyless car theft device being sold online for £20k, and it’s not illegal

Criminal gangs are reportedly able to buy gadgets for stealing keyless cars online for more than £20,000, while a new law that would crack down on the technology continues to work its way through Parliament. 

Signal relay and repeater devices essentially pick up the signal from keyless fobs and replicate it, allowing criminals to remotely unlock and start a car without needing to break into the owner’s house. Meanwhile, signal jammers are used to scramble vehicle trackers. 

The BBC reported that it had seen price lists and instruction videos for devices like these that are meant to be able to access even luxury cars like Lamborghinis. It said these could be brought for up to 25,000 Euros (£22,000 at the current exchange rate).

Neil Thomas, an expert on tracking and recovering stolen vehicles, told the BBC that these devices are often passed around by organised crime groups in the UK and said, "Criminals are paying huge sums, but they'll make those sums back. They're potentially stealing 10 cars a week. This is very much organised cross-border crime."

Possessing technology like this technically is still not illegal. Under section 68 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, only the usage of signal jammers, for example, has been deemed to be against the law.

However, through part of the Government’s new Crime and Policing Bill, which was put before Parliament back in February and has now entered the House of Lords, possession or distribution of such devices will soon be regarded as a criminal offence. Being convicted would leave offenders liable for an unlimited fine and up to five years in prison.

With the likes of signal jammers and repeaters used in approximately 40 per cent of car thefts and, according to the Metropolitan Police, the former being used in 60 per cent of cases in London, defendants will need to prove that they “did not intend or suspect that the device would be used in connection with a relevant offence”.

Dame Diana Johnson MP, the former minister for policing, crime and fire prevention, said the new strengthening of laws will “prevent these devices from getting into the hands of thieves and organised crime groups”.

Johnson explained: “These thefts have a devastating effect on victims, who need their vehicles to go about their everyday lives. We are aware of the real concerns people feel with the use of these electronic devices being so prolific.”

The move has received praise from across the board, with the national lead for vehicle crime at the National Police Chiefs Council, ACC Jenny Sims, stating such “easily accessible tool[s]” have been widely available “for far too long”.

Chief research and operations manager at Thatcham Research, Richard Billyeald, also highlighted how the new legislation “addresses a critical vulnerability in the current vehicle security framework. By criminalising the possession and sale of these devices, we're raising the stakes for criminals while protecting the legitimate automotive sector”.

Yet, Billyweald cautioned that such a ban is only one part of what should be a larger effort to bring down the number of car thefts, calling for a “multi-faceted approach”.

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