Keyless car theft tech to be outlawed in the UK, finally

Technology used by crooks to steal cars will soon be outlawed under a new proposal from the government to crack down on the ever-advancing methods employed by criminal gangs.

Until now, possessing technology such as signal jammers, which are used to scramble vehicle trackers, and signal repeaters, which are used to replicate signals from keyless fobs in order to remotely unlock and start a car, have technically not been illegal to own. Under section 68 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, only the usage of signal jammers, for example, has been deemed to be against the law.

However, possession or distribution of such devices will soon be regarded as a criminal offence as part of the government’s new Crime and Policing Bill, which is due to be put before Parliament on Tuesday and would leave offenders liable for an unlimited fine and up to five years in prison. 

With the likes of signal jammers and repeaters used in approximately 40 per cent of car thefts and, according to the Metropolitan Police, the former being used as a tool in 60 per cent of cases in London, defendants will need to prove their ownership of such devices was for a “legitimate purpose”.

Dame Diana Johnson MP, the Labour minister for policing, crime and fire prevention, said the new strengthening of laws will “prevent these devices from getting into the hands of thieves and organised crime groups”.

Johnson explained that “these thefts have a devastating effect on victims, who need their vehicles to go about their everyday lives. We are aware of the real concerns people feel with the use of these electronic devices being so prolific’.

The move has received praise from across the board, with the national lead for vehicle crime at the National Police Chiefs Council, ACC Jenny Sims, stating such “easily accessible tool[s]” have been widely available “for far too long”.

Chief research and operations manager at Thatcham Research, Richard Billyeald, also highlighted how the new legislation “addresses a critical vulnerability in the current vehicle security framework. By criminalising the possession and sale of these devices, we're raising the stakes for criminals while protecting the legitimate automotive sector”.

Yet, Billyweald cautioned that such a ban is only one part of what should be a larger effort to bring down the number of car thefts, calling for a “multi-faceted approach”.

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