Nissan vehicles targeted in keyless thefts spate

Police have asked owners of Nissan vehicles in South Yorkshire to pay particular attention to security

Owners of Nissan vehicles have been warned to be extra vigilant after a spate of reports of keyless thefts across South Yorkshire.

Since the start of August, South Yorkshire Police had received 30 reports of Nissan Navaras and Jukes being stolen, a force spokesperson said.

Criminals were using sophisticated technology to mimic the signal from key fobs, allowing them to unlock and start vehicles without physical access to a key, they added.

Owners have been advised to take extra security precautions, such as using a signal-blocking pouch - also known as a Faraday bag - to store the key fob when not in use.

Police also told owners to park in well-lit, secure areas, consider using a steering wheel lock as a visible deterrent and install tracking devices to locate the vehicle if it was stolen.

Meanwhile, officers said owners should also check for suspicious behaviour around their cars and review their CCTV or doorbell footage.

'Opportunist theft'

Motoring journalist John Evans said increasing rates of keyless thefts were a "national issue".

Cars with traditional keys were more secure, but they were still at risk of being stolen, Mr Evans said.

"Nothing's really safe, even steering wheel locks can be overridden simply by sawing through them," he explained.

However, Mr Evans said that taking such precautions was effective at deterring "opportunist theft", particularly of lower value cars.

A Nissan spokesperson said: "Nissan is constantly working to improve vehicle security and help protect our customers amid ever-changing security requirements.

"Latest models feature technology, such as motion sensor key fob technology, that prevents thieves from starting the engine, even in a relay attack.

"There are further precautions that customers can take, such as deactivating the car's keyless (I-Key) function through the instrument panel settings, and placing keys in a Faraday pouch to block a relay attack signal."

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