Keyless Mercedes theft victim in 'complete shock'

Enzo Steenkamp said he was "in complete shock" after his "dream car" was stolen

A Mercedes owner says his "heart sank" after criminals used keyless technology to steal his car from his driveway.

Enzo Steenkamp, from South Gloucestershire, realised his C-Class Coupé was gone after leaving for work on 12 April.

Taken in the early hours, he said CCTV showed the criminals taking his keyless car within the space of 20 seconds.

Avon and Somerset Police warned that criminals were targeting high-end vehicles.

Enzo Steenkamp said his "heart sank" when he realised his Mercedes C-Class Coupé was gone

Mr Steenkamp, from Bradley Stoke had only bought his "dream car" two months ago after spending years saving up, and said he was "in complete shock" after noticing it was gone.

Mr Steenkamp said he was unaware of the issue before being targeted: "I will probably get a normal key-based car and I'd be inclined to stay away from keyless cars, unless there is an improvement to the security on the cars or something that gives me more peace of mind."

Insp Jon Nash from Avon and Somerset Police said thieves typically worked to relay a signal transmission in teams of two, by having "one that will stay by the car with a receiver device which looks like a mobile phone and another that will normally have a rucksack on with the transmitting equipment."

He said the latter would then work between the car and the property, trying to pick up the signal of the smart key inside the property.

"With this signal, it can basically boost it to the receiver and the car will think the key is within the right range and they will be able to unlock the car and start the vehicle."

Safety tips for keyless cars:

• Keep your vehicle locked, windows shut and your keys secure.

• Put the key card/fob in a Faraday case/pouch to block any transmissions.

• Park the vehicle in a locked garage where possible.

• Where possible, park in a well-lit area and in clear view of your property and any CCTV cameras.

• Do not leave any valuables such as wallets, phones, Sat Navs etc. on display.

• Use an additional steering lock.

• Mark the items of property/tools that are stored in the vehicle using an artificial DNA property marker such as Smartwater or SelectaDNA.

• If you have a second, non-keyless vehicle, park that behind the high value one.

Source: Wiltshire Police

Insp Jon Nash said criminals were using advanced technology to target high-end vehicles

Insp Nash said the car safety measures will not allow the vehicle to cut out, so once the car is running, it can go for as long as the vehicle allows.

He said once a signal is received, it can take as little as 60 seconds for the car to start up.

Mr Nash said, since January, the force had seen an increase in keyless thefts in the South Gloucestershire area.

"We believe the cars are being sold in parts, or in whole, or then being used in further criminality across the country," Mr Nash said.

He urged those that have any CCTV footage, or know any information about these thefts, to get in touch, while they built an intelligence picture in the local area.