I've been noticing more news articles about thieves using car key amplifiers in order to steal cars that use a keyless fob. While most of these cars are high end, I am wondering if anyone that uses a keyless fob has had their Fit stolen, or has witnessed someone start and drive off a Fit without the key in the car.

 

Are you sure you're getting this right? My understanding is that they use the amplifiers not to steal cars, but to steal the contents of the cars.

 

No. Not only can they open the cars but start and drive them away. But I think there may be more than one type of magic box used.

One box they stick to your car so that when you use your fob they can copy the code. This allows them to return and open the car. I don't know if this also allows them to start and drive away.

Yet another magic box simply amplifies the radio wave from your fob. While you are far away, to your car you are therefore much closer. They then just open the door, start the car and drive away.

How clever are humans!

 

I can understand gaining entry to the car by amplifying the signal, but the car knows if the fob is inside or outside the car. How does this fool the car into thinking the fob is inside, so it will start?

 

I would say the caliber of thief being discussed in the article wouldn't really have their sights set on a lowly Honda Fit to steal when the same toolset described can steal a high end vehicle. If its a security concern, why not just install a secret starter disconnect where even if they get access to the computer, they can't drive the car away on you.

 

Probably 98% of car thieves are opportunists, looking for "low hanging fruit"-cars with keys left inside, and so forth.


The thieves that would have that kind of equipment are most likely looking for more profitable scores than a Honda Fit. However, as they say, if a professional wants your car, they're going to get it. That's why you carry insurance.

 

It'd be hilarious to see the Gone in 60 Seconds crew spirit away a Fit.

 

I'll second this. The majority of vehicle-related crimes I have come across in the last ten years have to do with doors that were not locked, and sometimes not even closed. Thieves are opportunists: they want to get in and out in the shortest amount of time possible. Not closing and/or locking your door(s) allows them to do this. Then there are the small number of smash-and-grabs. You leave something valuable in your car, the thief comes around and looks in (and sees said valuable item that you should have taken with you but failed to) then tries the doors. If the doors are closed and locked like they should be and the cost-benefit analysis the thief does when weighing moving on versus smashing a window bodes not in your favor, the thief smashes the window, reaches inside, and takes what used to be yours. In very very few cases, the entire vehicle is stolen. This happens very rarely and not nearly as often as the vehicle-thief fear mongers would have you believe. In most cases, the driver left the keys in the vehicle, or even left the vehicle running and unoccupied. I have never ever heard of a thief using any type of box or other method to gain access to not only the vehicle, but the ignition as well. The cases where it does happen are so outrageously few and far between that one need not be concerned with the possibility of your car getting stolen with an amplifier or something of the sort.

 

I'm half tempted to get an amplifier to try this, but as pointed out earlier, it's just a Honda Fit, it's not a German, Italian car.

 

Too bad its "illegal" to boobytrap your vehicle from theft that may cause bodily harm perhaps death to the would be thief. :-P

 

dont worry, no one wants to steal a Fit

 

Saw a video on tv today, two guys in Houston stealing cars and shipping them to Mexico. They used a laptop on new Jeep and Dodge vehicles. Not quite the same as the two magic box amplifiers, but there is a trend. Two Men Used A Laptop To Steal More Than 100 Cars