Police warn Mercedes owners to be vigilant following a surge in keyless car thefts in Bedford

A spate of keyless car thefts in Kempston and Wootton have prompted police to warn all owners of vehicles which can be unlocked and started by using a keyless fob.

The warning comes after a surge in this type of theft, especially among Mercedes owners, as the force has recorded 15 Mercedes thefts in past eight weeks.

Keyless car theft happens when an offender uses a special device to capture the signal from a fob located inside a house, and transmits it to someone else near the car, tricking the car’s computer into opening the doors and starting the engine.

This can be done if the fob, or spare set, is located close to windows and doors, as the thieves only need to be within a few metres of the transmitter can find and enhance its signal.

That’s why it is important to be careful where you keep your keys and vehicle overnight, or when you are not home.

To reduce the risk of becoming keyless car theft victim, the police have advised you do the follow:

Consider fitting CCTV or doorbell sensor cameras and lighting

Keep your car keys and spare set in a signal blocking pouch or box

Keep your keys away from windows and doors

Consider turning off the keyless fob’s wireless signal

Use additional safety measures like a car alarm and steering wheel lock

If possible park your car in a garage, a driveway, or in a well-lit area

Fit your car with a tracker and etch index numbers on the windows

Double press the lock button on the key, as this disables the keyless entry and start

Detective Superintendent Duncan Young, head of the force’s dedicated burglary team, Operation Maze, said: “As the technology becomes more sophisticated, criminals have to be more creative to find new ways to commit crimes.

“As the keyless cars become more popular and common we would like to make the public aware of this type of car theft.

“Because the offender doesn’t actually have to enter the victim’s house, and it can be done remotely from the vicinity of the property, the theft can go unnoticed until following morning.

"Therefore, it is important to create a distance between your key and your vehicle and make sure to keep it secure in a signal blocking pouch or box, or at the least, away from windows and doors."