Keyless vehicle theft is on the rise – how can you protect your car?

New technology for the automotive industry is being developed every year, but a careful balance needs to be struck between convenience and security, and not every new innovation gets this balance right. A recent prime example comprises keyless entry systems. The weaknesses in keyless access technology are becoming readily apparent to most British car owners, as criminals appear to be taking advantage of in-built flaws, leading to rising car theft across the UK. When it comes to cars in residential driveways, it’s for exactly these sorts of reasons that security bollards at home can be an excellent investment.

UK’s top selling cars found to be vulnerable

An increasing number of cars are being manufactured with this new keyless technology, which at first glance seems to be a useful and convenient feature. Essentially, they involve a minuscule transmitter hidden within the key fob, so there’s no need to put your key in the keyhole – all it takes is a brief wave near the mechanism, and the transmitter will send a signal that opens the lock. However, thieves are using specialised technology to take advantage of this system, and gain access to vehicles.

Consumer group Which? joined forces with the General German Automobile Club to test the keyless ignition system of 237 popular models, and found that only three of them – the Discovery, Range Rover, and Jaguar i-Pace, all made by Jaguar Land Rover – were secure against this possibility. The Vauxhall Corsa was also immune, given that it’s not available with keyless entry and ignition.

Unfortunately, the models found to be vulnerable included some of the top selling cars in the UK, including the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Golf, Nissan Qashquai, and the Ford Focus. Although the last few years have seen a steady decline in the amount of car thefts in the UK, there’s been a recent rise in the statistics again, and instances of keyless thefts are thought to be a major reason why.

How residential bollards can help you protect your car

As we recently covered in another post, when a crime is in progress every second counts for the perpetrators. It’s why a majority of crimes are committed by opportunists. It means that when criminals are faced with any obstacles that they can’t immediately overcome, more often than not they’ll abandon what they’re doing. This is often particularly true when it comes to vehicle thefts, as cars can’t be stuffed into pockets or hauled over fences. Therefore, residential security bollards are a hugely effective anti-theft measure, as even if thieves can get into your car, bollards prevent it from being moved too far from its parking spot. What the thieves can take from you is therefore very limited when you have security bollards installed.

As well as being an almost insurmountable physical obstacle, they’re equally as effective from a psychological point of view – being a hugely effective visual deterrent. This cuts down on the risk of your vehicle being targeted in the first place, even if the potential thief is more than just a passer-by (and as we’ve mentioned, the vast majority fit into that category).

Security and safety is our business here at Bollard Security, and we have a huge range of parking bollards  Telescopic bollards and parking posts for you to choose from. If you’re wavering between a decision or you’re unsure of which one is best suited to your property, our experts are only too happy to advise. You can click the link above to explore our range, or give us a quick call on 01756 636 196.