High-tech car robbery caught on video in the UK
— -- Two people have allegedly stolen a car using high-tech "relay" devices that were able to trick the vehicle into believing its electronic keys were nearby.
Video of the alleged carjacking released by the West Midlands, U.K. police show the alleged "relay crime" taking place on Sept. 24 in Solihull. Police released the video to the public on Sunday.
The surveillance video shows it took only a minute for the pair to get into the car using this technology.
Relay devices allow thieves to take a car without having the keys, according to the West Midlands police. In the video, two people can be seen waving devices by the car and in front of the house.
One device relays the signal of the car keys from inside the house to the device closest to the car door, tricking the car into unlocking, police said.
Police said that the technology can pick up signals through walls, doors, and windows, but not metal.
"To protect against this type of theft, owners can use an additional tested and Thatcham-approved steering lock to cover the entire steering wheel," Mark Silvester of the West Midlands Police crime reduction team, said in a press release.
High-tech theft like this can be prevented by ensuring a car has the latest software updates and additional tracking technology, police added.
The car has not yet been recovered since it was stolen on Sept. 24, police said.
The West Midlands Police said they are continuing to investigate the theft.
