Private investigator’s ‘biscuit tin’ method | Tech News
People may have a makeshift safety method at home already (Image: Getty)
Thousands of vehicles had been reported stolen within the UK in 2025, with roughly ten swiped from driveways and car parks each 10 minutes. Owners of particular vehicles could make use of some DIY safety with a kitchen merchandise you’d by no means hyperlink to security.
Cars are sometimes stolen as a way to be stripped and offered for elements, in keeping with one professional. Christopher Thomas, an investigator with UK Private Investigators, has labored on many stolen-car restoration instances and warns that almost all people make one essential mistake that turns their vehicles into straightforward targets for theft in much less than 10 seconds.
He stated: “For most of us, our cars are vital to how we live. We use them for work, to take our kids to school, to go shopping, and to get from point A to B. For criminals, our cars can be a bit of fun or a quick earner.
“I’ve labored with car thieves to know their strategies, so I can higher advise my shoppers on how to keep their vehicles secure, and a few of the strategies these people use would blow your thoughts. I’ve seen vehicles being opened with tennis balls pressed towards the lock, I’ve seen home windows being slid down with tape, however by far probably the most common is by boosting the signal out of your car key to your car.”
Keyless car theft devices are sold on the dark web for upwards of £15,000, but criminals with a bit of knowledge can make their own relay-boosting devices for just a few hundred. According to the expert, the biggest mistake car owners make is leaving their car keys so close to the door.
He said: “Your car sends out a signal each few seconds searching for your key. When your secret is in vary, it talks back to your car and opens it.”
Leaving your keys by the front door makes it easy for thieves to pick up your signal and take your car, but with some devices, moving your keys isn’t enough. You can buy pouches online that can stop this attack from happening, but not all of them work, so if you go down this route, you should test these items yourself.
A cheaper alternative, while still effective, is to use something like a metal biscuit tin. Chris said: “We have all seen these biscuit tins within the outlets or in people’s houses
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“While it’s a bit strange, putting your keys in one of these tins stops your car key from broadcasting the signal back to the car, even when boosted. There’s a simple test you can do to see if your biscuit tin will work.
“All you need to do is get somebody in your family to cellphone your cell phone, then put your cellphone within the tin. If the road goes lifeless, then the tin will work to your car keys too.”
Metal tins work like a Faraday cage, blocking or weakening the signal out of your key. It means there may be little to no signal for the car thieves to spice up, and with out that signal, your car is more durable to take.
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