Drivers have been urged to wrap up their car keys in tin foil to safeguard them from a distinctly modern crime, one that’s being perpetrated by tech-savvy criminals
Drivers have been urged to wrap up their car keys in tin foil to safeguard them from a distinctly modern crime, one that’s being perpetrated by tech-savvy criminals
Matt Davies Trendswatch Reporter
14:53, 20 Mar 2026
Motorists have been advised to wrap their car keys in tin foil. Criminals have been exploiting the wireless technology used in car keys, prompting owners to take additional precautions to safeguard their assets. This type of theft, known as “relay” theft, allows potential thieves to unlock and start your car using modern techniques without ever touching your key or entering your home.
Key fobs communicate with your vehicle’s receiver via radio frequency signals, but the convenience of contactless use has created a security loophole for skilled thieves. This comes as DVLA statistics reveal the vehicles most commonly targeted by criminals.
The Ford Fiesta topped the list, with 3,511 reported stolen in 2025, followed by the Volkswagen Golf (1,625) and the Ford Focus (1,474), with a total of 54,830 vehicles reported stolen in 2025. A “relay attack” typically uses signal-boosting equipment that can extend the fob’s range, a technique that involves one thief positioned near your front door, whilst a partner stands close to your vehicle.
It amplifies the signal across the distance, tricking the vehicle into believing the key is nearby, thereby allowing it to be unlocked and started. Fortunately, there is a method to counteract this. A so-called “Faraday cage”, a term derived from the 19th-century scientist Michael Faraday, can shield your car key from electromagnetic radiation and halt thieves in their tracks.
Whilst you can buy specialised Faraday pouches, you can immediately safeguard your keys by wrapping them in tin foil. It is a method ex-FBI agent Holly Hubert described as the “most inexpensive way”.
Speaking to the Detroit Free Press in 2018, Holly stated: “Although it’s not ideal, it is the most inexpensive way. The cyber threat is so dynamic and ever changing, it’s hard for consumers to keep up.”
Like signal-blocking pouches, tin foil stops electromagnetic signals from being transmitted. However, this type of crime continues to impact many victims, despite overall vehicle thefts having decreased by 11 percent. Claire Evans, consumer editor at What Car?, said: “Annual car theft figures continue to be very high, so owners need to do all they can to keep them safe.
“Our data shows that small, inexpensive models such as the Nissan Juke and Vauxhall Corsa are under threat, so it’s vital to take measures to protect all cars. Simple measures, like using a steering lock or keeping your car keys in a Faraday pouch, will lessen the chances of it being stolen.”
Criminals can exploit the flaw by using low-cost, widely available items such as relay boxes. Another technique is known as a “CAN bus attack”, a method that involves plugging equipment directly into the vehicle’s wiring.
By employing fakes messages, this technique confuses the vehicle’s system and allows criminals to bypass the immobiliser, as reported by the BBC. It also highlighted that such devices can be designed to look like portable Bluetooth speakers.
Speaking to Calum Watson of the BBC, former Met police officer Vince Wise stated: “Back in the 80s or 90s, it was very easy to get into a vehicle, steal it and take it away. It was probably cheaper than getting a taxi at the time.”
He further commented: “Now, because of the value of vehicles going up and the demand for parts, it’s very easy to move these around and make big profits.”
