Posted on 10/23/2019 3:01:25 AM PDT by sodpoodle
I locked my car. As I walked away I heard my car door unlock. I went back and locked my car again three times. Each time, as soon as I started to walk away, I would hear it unlock again!! Naturally alarmed, I looked around and there were two guys sitting in a car in the fire lane next to the store. They were obviously watching me intently, and there was no doubt they were somehow involved in this very weird situation . I quickly chucked the errand I was on, jumped in my car and sped away. I went straight to the police station, told them what had happened, and found out I was part of a new, and very successful, scheme being used to gain entry into cars. Two weeks later, my friend's son had a similar happening.... While traveling, my friend's son stopped at a roadside rest to use the bathroom. When he came out to his car less than 4-5 minutes later, someone had gotten into his car and stolen his cell phone, laptop computer, GPS navigator, briefcase.....you name it. He called the police and since there were no signs of his car being broken into, the police told him he had been a victim of the latest robbery tactic -- there is a device that robbers are using now to clone your security code when you lock your doors on your car using your key-chain locking device..
They sit a distance away and watch for their next victim. They know you are going inside of the store, restaurant, or bathroom and that they now have a few minutes to steal and run. The police officer said to manually lock your car door-by hitting the lock button inside the car -- that way if there is someone sitting in a parking lot watching for their next victim, it will not be you.
When you hit the lock button on your car upon exiting, it does not send the security code, but if you walk away and use the door lock on your key chain, it sends the code through the airwaves where it can be instantly stolen
Be wisely aware of what you just read and please pass this note on. Look how many times we all lock our doors with our remote just to be sure we remembered to lock them -- and bingo, someone has our code...and whatever was in our car.
Snopes Approved --Please share with everyone you know
I only use my fob to lock my car this way I can’t lock my keys in the car.
Remember the days you could lift the hood, look down thru the engine compartment...and still see the ground?
I bought a new Audi this past summer. There is no key-point on either the driver or passenger door. There is a key-point on the trunk, and I have this emergency key that could be used for that ‘path’, but being 60, I’m kinda wondering how I’d crawl over into the front compartment.
Advice: Manually lock your doors when exiting your vehicle.
https://www.fox13news.com/news/police-warn-manually-lock-car-doors-to-prevent-key-fob-interference
And the left wants to let them all loose.
“Was I the only one waiting for the punchline from sodpoodle?”
Nope, I was right there with you. At first I thought “Snopes approved” might be the punchline, then I realized this was from when Snopes was still well thought of.
I surely do.
But, unfortunately, due to my youthful financial distress, I could usually see the ground through the floor board, also.
But I knew how to fix it.
Today's cars require a computer and a trained operator just to see if the damn thing is broke.
Ah....technolgy!
Not always a good thing.
the objective of car companies is to make cars just like computers and phones, disposable.
My Morgan roadster goes one better - no pesky door locks to keep people out (not to mention the lack of a roof (or 'hood', as the Brit's call it). It also comes with the latest in anti-theft protection - not only does it have a manual transmission, but it's right-hand drive as well. If a thief can overcome those obstacles, there's the fuel pump cutoff switch to contend with - and a manual choke if the weather is sufficiently cold as to need it.
My FOB has been broken for years. Plus I drive a 5 speed and my driver seat back is all the way vertical.
“My Morgan roadster goes one better - no pesky door locks to keep people out “
You forgot the biggest theft deterrent of all, Lucus Electric!
So true. Thankfully, most of the Lucas (Inventors of Darkness) has been cursed out of her already.
As for technology to fix your car, a $20 Bluetooth OBD2 code reader will help you fix 90% of the problems.
Combine that with the internet and YouTube videos and it’s the golden age for shade tree mechanics.
My Trunk Monkey likes a challenge.
“I could usually see the ground through the floor board...”
Hah...been there, done that! The good old days...
You're not up on the latest tech. You don't even need to use your remote. The thieves will trigger it from outside the house and relay it to the car.
CCTV of thieves stealing a vehicle without the key by using a relay box.
There are several "Relay Box Car Theft" videos out there.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=relay+box+car+theft
There are two types of fobs.
If you can walk up to your car and unlock it by touching the door handle, even with it in your pocket/purse, you have the one that transmits (a short distance) all the time, or the “RFID” as it was called here.
On some, you have to hit the button to unlock the door. I don’t know if any car makers are still doing it this way, but I used to have one. It does not transmit unless you push the button. (You can’t just grab the handle and get in.)
For either one, hitting that button broadcasts the code in all directions, for a pretty good distance...
Saws and drills take too long, they'll just pick it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuytBrQXiw8
Check out the lockpicking lawyer on YouTube. Very informative on how easily even the most sophisticated locks can be picked in no time. If they really want it, a thief will get it.
If you had the magic electronic device to open any modern car, why would you bother with the ones with a steering wheel lock? Sawing and drilling, lock picking - who needs it? Just steal another car, there are lots of them.
“It is the truth, anyone that has the urge can easily buy a lock pick kit.”
With new cars it is even easier than that. I have been in the towing business for years and have done hundreds of lockout calls. All you have to do is pull out the top rear corner of the door and reach in with something long enough to push the unlock button or pull the inside handle. They now use metal that is too soft to keep the door ridged enough to prevent this.
Only sharing this because folks NEED to know how easy it really is.
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