It’s all well and good to own a car featuring a keyless entry system but in recent years, crooks have started to take advantage of such systems with relay attacks. This security camera vision of a BMW M2 Competition being stolen in Germany shows just how easy it can be to steal a car using keyless entry.
This footage was shared on Reddit by the owner of the M2. For the first 90 seconds of the video, the thieves can be seen sneaking around the front of the house, with one of them holding a relay box. This box is able to copy the signal from the keyfob located in the home and sends it to a second device held against the driver’s door.
Just like that, it’s possible to trick the car into thinking you have the key.
Also Watch: Gone In 18 Seconds – Keyless Entry Cars Are Shockingly Easy To Steal
It took a little while for the thieves to start-up the sports car after unlocking the doors, perhaps because the signal was momentarily lost and the car thought the key was missing. Before long, however, the M2 Competition can be heard starting up and the thieves quickly accelerate away from the house.
According to the owner, the car was located roughly 90-minutes after the theft and just 40 km (25 miles) away from his home, after being ditched by the thieves, perhaps because they thought the vehicle was being tracked.
Those who own vehicles with keyless entry systems can add an extra layer of safety by storing their keys in a metal box or some kind of ‘faraday cage’ to prevent a relay box from picking up the signal, though we all know that in reality most people will just toss their keys to the closest table.