If your car unlocks when you touch the handle and starts without a traditional key, it is convenient. It is also worth taking a few extra security steps.

Relay attacks remain one of the dominant methods used to steal keyless cars in the UK. Criminals can exploit the signal between your vehicle and its key fob, sometimes taking the car without breaking a window or forcing a lock.

The good news is that you do not need to turn your driveway into a scene from a Hollywood spy film. A few sensible layers of security can make your vehicle harder to target.

And there is a legal development to be aware of. The Crime and Policing Act 2026 made possession, manufacture and supply of devices used for vehicle theft – including relay and signal-jamming equipment – a criminal offence from April 2026.

Here is how relay theft works, what you can do to reduce the risk and where motor insurance fits in.

What is a relay attack?

A relay attack targets the wireless signal used by a keyless car and its fob.

Normally, your car detects that the key is nearby. It then unlocks the doors and allows the engine to start. The key does not need to be inserted into the vehicle, or even removed from your pocket.

During a relay attack, two criminals may use electronic devices:

  1. One device is positioned close to your home, often near a front door or wall.
  2. It detects the signal from your key fob inside the house.
  3. The signal is relayed to a second device beside the car.
  4. The car is tricked into believing the genuine key is nearby.

The vehicle may then unlock and start as though you were standing beside it. In some cases, the theft can happen within minutes, with little obvious damage.

This is why a locked front door does not necessarily provide enough protection for a keyless car. If the fob is close to the outside wall or hallway, its signal may still be within reach.

Why keyless cars are targeted

Keyless technology is designed to make everyday driving easier. You can approach the car, open the door and drive away without handling a traditional key.

But the same convenience creates an opportunity for criminals. The car is constantly listening for its authorised fob, and a relay device attempts to extend the distance between the two.

Keyless cars can also be attractive targets because:

  • They may be started without a physical key being inserted.
  • The theft can appear relatively quiet and quick.
  • Popular family cars and higher-specification models may have strong resale or parts value.
  • Organised groups can move stolen vehicles rapidly after the initial theft.

The National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership says some stolen vehicles can leave the UK within 12 to 24 hours. Its guidance also identifies relay attacks and key reprogramming devices as methods used to gain access to modern vehicles.

So, if your car has keyless entry, it is worth treating the key fob as part of your home security – not simply as something you leave on the nearest table.

Protect the signal

A signal-blocking key pouch beside a car key fob on a tidy hallway table

A signal-blocking pouch, sometimes called a Faraday pouch, is one of the simplest ways to reduce the risk of a relay attack.

It is lined with materials that block wireless signals. When the key fob is inside, the car should not be able to detect it from outside your home.

A few points matter:

  • Put every keyless fob inside the pouch, including a spare.
  • Close the pouch properly rather than leaving it partly open.
  • Keep the pouch away from doors and windows where possible.
  • Test it regularly by placing the key inside and checking that the car does not unlock.
  • Replace it if the shielding stops working.

You can also use a Faraday box at home. It is useful if several keys need to be stored together, although it should be tested in the same way. It seems a little strange to test whether a box works by trying to open your own car, but it is better to discover a faulty pouch on a quiet afternoon than after the vehicle has disappeared.

Check the fob

Some modern key fobs have motion sensors. These can put the fob into a sleep mode when it has been stationary for a period of time, reducing the signal available to a relay device.

Check your vehicle handbook or ask the manufacturer whether your key fob has this feature. It may need to be enabled, and the process can vary between models.

Some vehicles also offer additional security settings, such as:

  • Turning off passive keyless entry.
  • Requiring a button press before the vehicle unlocks.
  • Using a PIN or secondary code to start the car.
  • Enabling an alarm or enhanced security mode.

If you can disable keyless entry when the car is parked overnight, it may be worth doing. The exact procedure will depend on the vehicle, so check the handbook rather than guessing. Modern cars can be clever, but they are not always intuitive – much like the television remote in a hotel room.

Add physical security

Electronic protection is useful, but physical security still has a role.

A plain black steering-wheel lock fitted securely inside a modern car

A visible steering lock can act as a deterrent and create another obstacle for anyone attempting to drive away. It will not make a vehicle impossible to steal, but it may encourage a criminal to look elsewhere.

You could also consider:

  • Parking in a garage, if one is available.
  • Using a locked gate or sturdy physical barrier.
  • Parking behind another vehicle where practical.
  • Choosing a well-lit location.
  • Installing a recognised tracking device.
  • Keeping the vehicle’s software and security systems updated.

A tracker can improve the chance of recovery, but it is not a substitute for preventing the theft. Some criminals use signal-jamming equipment to interfere with tracking systems, so a layered approach is sensible.

A modern car parked behind a closed driveway gate with a security light at dusk

You can find more general security suggestions in our guide to staying safe and saving money. Although the article focuses on home security, the basic principle applies here too: make the theft more difficult, more visible and less attractive.

What changed in 2026?

The Crime and Policing Act 2026 introduced new offences relating to electronic devices used in vehicle theft. From April 2026, possessing, manufacturing, importing or supplying relay tools, signal jammers and similar equipment for vehicle theft became illegal.

The legislation is intended to help the police act earlier against organised vehicle crime. Previously, proving that a device had been used in a particular theft could be more difficult. The new rules focus on possession and the intended use of these devices, while allowing legitimate professional and technical uses to be distinguished.

For drivers, the practical message is straightforward: relay attacks are not a harmless technical trick. They are part of organised vehicle crime, and the equipment used to carry them out is now specifically targeted by law.

How does insurance respond?

Your motor insurance policy may cover theft, but the details depend on the level of cover and your policy wording.

Comprehensive cover and third party, fire and theft cover commonly include vehicle theft, subject to the policy terms. Third party-only cover generally does not cover the theft of your own vehicle.

It is worth checking:

  • Whether theft is included in your cover.
  • The excess that would apply to a theft claim.
  • Whether personal belongings left in the vehicle are covered.
  • Whether your keys, tracker or alarm must meet specific requirements.
  • Whether the policy asks you to use security devices supplied or approved by the manufacturer.
  • Whether you need to notify the insurer if a key, fob or tracking device is lost.
  • Whether there are conditions about where the vehicle is parked overnight.

Leaving a key fob in an obvious or insecure place does not automatically mean a claim will be rejected. However, insurers may consider whether you followed the policy conditions and took reasonable care. Leaving the keys inside an unlocked car is very different from storing them inside a properly secured home, for example.

If your vehicle is stolen, report it to the police and your insurer promptly. Give accurate details about where the keys were stored, whether the vehicle was locked and what security devices were being used. It is usually better to explain the facts clearly than to assume a detail is unimportant.

Our motor insurance page explains the types of motor policies available through T&R Direct Insurance Services, including car insurance.

Check the value if your car is financed

If your vehicle is bought with finance, check what the policy would pay if it were stolen and not recovered.

A motor policy may settle a total loss using the vehicle’s market value, subject to the policy terms and its insured value. But the amount still owed to the finance company can be higher than the car’s market value, particularly during the early part of a finance agreement.

Check:

  • The current settlement figure from the finance company.
  • The vehicle’s likely market value.
  • The policy’s maximum payment or sums insured.
  • Whether any optional replacement or agreed-value benefit applies.

Do not assume the figure shown on your original finance paperwork still reflects the current position. A quick check can prevent an unwelcome surprise after a theft.

A simple keyless-car checklist

Before you go to bed, make sure:

  • All keyless fobs are inside a tested signal-blocking pouch or box.
  • The keys are kept away from doors, windows and external walls.
  • Keyless entry is disabled if your vehicle allows it.
  • The car is parked in a garage, behind a gate or in a well-lit place where possible.
  • A steering lock or other visible deterrent is fitted.
  • Any tracker is active and its subscription is up to date.
  • Your insurer’s security requirements have been checked.
  • The car’s current value and any finance balance are understood.

No single measure guarantees that a vehicle cannot be stolen. But combining signal protection, physical deterrents, sensible parking and suitable insurance can make your keyless car a much less convenient target.

And that is the aim – not to make your driveway look like a high-security facility, but to remove the easy opportunities.