Police warn of 'slight increase' in number of car thefts in Edinburgh during coronavirus lockdown

Edinburgh Police have shared tips on how to prevent vehicle theft during the pandemic.

Police in Edinburgh have warned of an increase in car thefts.

Police officers in Edinburgh have offered advice to car owners as part of a bid to help reduce the number of car thefts in the city.

The Capital has been hit by what officers have labelled a “slight rise” in thefts of motor vehicles.

Officers at the Edinburgh Police Division said: “There has been a slight rise in thefts from motor vehicles and theft of motor vehicles in Edinburgh.

“Despite modern locking systems on vehicles, some criminals do manage to overcome them by using devices bought legally and relatively cheaply on the internet.

“All of which work by affecting the radio frequency imitated by the key fob/device, enabling vehicles to be stolen despite owners having possession of the keys.”

Below is the advice from the police for how to reduce the chances of having your car stolen;

Key and Fob

The majority of vehicles are accessed by a combination of traditional key and fob remote. The fob tending to be used more frequently than the key, due to the convenience of simply pushing a button.

However, criminals can block the radio signal between the fob and vehicle, using a signal blocker.

You press your fob and walk away as normal thinking the vehicle is locked. But it isn’t!

Once inside your vehicle, thieves can remove any items they like or drive it away by plugging a re-programming device into the on board diagnostics port and program a key, which may only take seconds.

Preventative measures:

• Physically checking the vehicle is locked and checking ALL the doors

• Using the traditional key to lock up

• Make sure the key and any spares are stored securely and safely

• Consider using a steering lock

Keyless Vehicles

Keyless vehicles automatically lock / unlock depending on the proximity of a key device, which is usually no bigger than a bank card. The system operates via radio signals passed between vehicle and key device. These signals can be intercepted by criminals.

Keys constantly emit a signal, (at times even detectable from within a building), which can be picked up by anyone with an appropriate transmitter relay device. The signal is relayed back to the vehicle, which unlocks and allows the start button to work and once away from the scene of the crime, a new key can be programmed via the OBD port.