Dozens of drivers in Lowestoft 'unable to lock cars'
- Published
Cars in Lowestoft's Whapload Road and Battery Green Road have been affected
About 50 drivers have reported being unable to remotely lock their cars, possibly due to someone using a signal jammer in part of Suffolk.
Police say the majority of issues were reported on Tuesday in the centre of Lowestoft, including around Whapload Road and Battery Green Road.
Devices can be bought which block signals for remote central locking, leaving a vehicle unlocked.
Suffolk Police said the source of the problem "had not yet been identified".
Kim Riley has discovered there is some truth to reports of cars locking without prompting.
A spokesman said: "Owners of various makes of vehicle have reported experiencing problems, which include either being unable to lock their vehicles remotely and secure vehicles becoming unlocked."
The force advised people to manually lock their vehicles.
Michael Hollidge, who works nearby, said he regularly checked on his parked car since experiencing the problem.
"It's locking one minute, then it's not the next," he said.
"I try it with my key and the key's not working.
"I don't know what it is."
Driver Duncan Cole said he feared his insurance would not be valid if his car was unlocked at the pay-and-display car park, and so decided to return home.
Ofcom, the government agency with responsibility for radio communications, said it was keen to receive complaints about problems with electronic key fobs, which it could then investigate, but had so far received no complaints.
Similar issues in Southampton were found to be due to interference from a resident's faulty device which transmits a TV signal to other sets in the home.
Michael Hollidge and a colleague had been checking their cars were secure
Duncan Cole was unhappy about leaving his car so changed his plans
BBC reporter's brush with police
BBC Look East's chief reporter Kim Riley unwittingly came to the attention of police while at work in the car park
BBC reporter Kim Riley visited a car park in Whapload Road earlier on Wednesday and said he was "rather sceptical" that there was any truth to the reports.
"Then something rather strange started happening," he said. "The key was still in the ignition and suddenly the car started to lock itself, and a few seconds later the alarm triggered.
"There is something in this.
"Police are taking a keen interest, and indeed officers came over to speak to us after a member of the public reported someone looking suspicious, sitting in a car, tapping away on a laptop.
"Fortunately I was able to do some smooth talking and satisfy them that it was only cameraman Shaun Whitmore, busy editing my report for tonight's BBC Look East."
