How to prevent keyless car theft and keep your car safe

Car theft has long been a recurring concern for vehicle owners, and one that may well play a part in your own day-to-day concerns about your car too. For example, it can often determine where you park your car, and the measures you take to protect it. Traditional methods such as locking doors and parking your car in the safety of a driveway can still be effective, but they don’t always offer as much protection as it once did.

These days many cars operate on keyless systems, which is brilliant and convenient during the day-to-day hustle of commuting to work and taking care of tasks. Unfortunately, as technology gets more sophisticated, so do the means in which to beat it. Keyless car theft may be on the rise, but there is a solution to this problem – telescopic bollards. With the security of a driveway bollard you can beat the technological arms race and have peace of mind that your car is safe while out of view.

How does keyless car theft work?

Keyless car theft is one of the latest techniques that thieves are using to steal cars. It works by using a device that uses short range radio waves to transmit a signal to your car’s receiver. And if that signal is recognised by your car, it will unlock the doors. Essentially, if you’re keeping your car keys in a bowl by the door, in the hallway or even a jacket pocket, as many people do, the signal can be easily boosted by one of these devices. This tricks your car’s system into thinking you are close by with the keys, which can allow for your car to be unlocked (and in some cases even for the engine to be started up!). If this is the case, your car can be silently stolen within minutes. This can be a particularly stressful experience if you’ve not taken out GAP insurance, as the loss will not be covered by your insurer if it’s declared a total loss.

The number of keyless car thefts are on the rise

LV= has found that the rise in keyless car theft – and car theft in general – is more significant than ever before, with cars such as Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Mercedes, Porsche and Tesla accounting for 48% of all vehicle theft claims. LV= states in its report that car theft has risen by 20% in the last few years, with keyless theft accounting for a greater proportion of the claims. So if you’re the owner of a car from any of these brands, it’s worth investing in some extra security for peace of mind!

LV= also indicated in its report that vehicle crime is rising dramatically UK city areas like London, Birmingham, Manchester and Nottingham are being hit the hardest. In London alone vehicle theft claims have risen by a staggering 256% in the last few years. The other cities mentioned are not far behind either with a rise of 100%. The police are urging keyless car owners to take steps to protect their vehicles by using steering locks, immobilisers or bollards on their drive, ITV has reported.

How can I stop my car from being stolen?

Protecting your car is now more important than ever. Here are some preventative measures you can take to keep your car safe. Although it may sound obvious, moving your car key away from the front door is the first step anyone should take. After that you could make use of wheel locks if you have one handy, however we’d suggest investing in a more reliable method of car protection, like a telescopic bollard.

Telescopic bollards (like our R5 Telescopic Bollard) will prevent any vehicle from being stolen, regardless of whether someone is able to boost your key’s signal and unlock the car. The ideal insurance policy, this pull-up model boasts a wide diameter, tall height and thick steel walls which will give your vehicle premium levels of security. The lock is drill proof, pick proof and tamper proof and the keys can’t be copied, so you can rest assured your car is safe on your driveway.

We have plenty of telescopic bollards to choose from for varying price ranges that are perfect for protecting your car from theft, like our D4 Telescopic Bollard for example. This is one of the more popular residential telescopic bollards. It’s easy to operate, install and service, and it’s constructed from robust galvanised steel. Incorporating a 10 pin anti-drill and tamper-proof lock for high levels of security, it has been awarded the Sold Secure and Secure by Design accreditation.

Here at Bollard Security, we’re dedicated to helping our customers achieve peace of mind, and deter any potential theft from happening. Remember, prevention is always better than cure, so take the necessary precautions to protect your car today by investing in driveway telescopic bollards from us.

We carry huge stock of all types of bollards including parking bollards and parking posts. Check out our products online to find out which ones could be the best fit for your home. If you ever need any assistance or you’ve got questions that need answering, you can always call up one of our in-house experts on 01535 509001 – we’re always happy to advise!