Drivers of keyless cars warned after spate of 'high powered vehicle thefts' including Audi, BMW and Volvo

Drivers of keyless cars are being warned to take extra precautions to fend of thieves after a spate of thefts.

Lincolnshire Police said there had been a number of thefts of ‘high powered cars’ in the south of the county in recent days.

A spokesperson for the force said: “The culprits are using relay equipment to boost the signal of an electronic car key within the home, to open a vehicle outside. They are doing this by holding an antenna towards the property.

“We’ve also seen a rise in the number of car theft attempts and while unsuccessful, we wish to warn our communities and highlight steps you can take to remain safe.

“Vehicle owners can purchase a faraday bag, which are used to block electromagnetic fields and stop criminals from accessing electronic car keys remotely.

“Those with Secured by Design accreditation work best.

“You can check the effectiveness of the bag by securing the keys inside and walking towards the vehicle and checking it doesn’t unlock.

“Additionally, some key fobs can be “turned off” but individual vehicle owners will need to check if this is possible with manufacturers and local dealerships.

“The use of CCTV can also act as a deterrent and valuable evidence gathering tool for police if your vehicle is targeted.

“Wheel locks can also render your vehicle immobile and difficult for thieves to bypass.

“Officers in the area are doing everything they can to bring the thieves to justice and are pursuing all lines of enquiry available to them.”

The warning comes after four vehicles were targeted in Spalding in the early hours of yesterday.

Thieves targeted a Volvo vehicle on Osier Road in the town at around 2.40am but were thankfully unsuccessful in stealing the vehicle. (Incident 29 of 28/02/24.)

Several hours later a blue BMW 840I M SPORT was stolen from Carrington Close in Spalding at around 6.40am. (Incident 57 of 28/02/24.)

A grey Audi Q4 E-TRON was taken around 15 minutes later from Larkspur Way in Spalding. (Incident 63 of 28/02/24.)

While Incident 119 of 28/02/24 saw thieves try to steal an Audi from a nearby road at 9.20am.

Officers believe these four incidents are linked.

Police have also said two more incidents have happened today (Thursday)

A Land Rover was stolen from Exeter Gardens in Stamford. The incident was reported to police at around 7.25am. (Incident 65 of 29/02/24.)

The vehicle has since been recovered.

A gold Land Rover Ranger Rover was taken from St Marys Street in Stamford. The crime was reported to police at 8.25am.

An unrelated incident saw a grey Land Rover Discovery was also stolen from Pilgrim Hospital car park in Boston at around 7am, though a different method may have been used by thieves. (Incident 64 of 28/02/24.)

Anyone with information should call Lincolnshire Police on 101, quoting one of the above incident numbers, or you can contact DC Matt Wharton by emailing [email protected] using one of the incident numbers in the subject line.