Keyless repeater thefts

[Yusee]

BTW I wonder if it is possible to order a new GTI without keyless.... its certainly possible for VW to have the parts to do so (its an option in most countries and not standard on lower Golf models).

If/When I order my GTI next year, I think I'll be insisting on that.

Will be interesting to see if you can delete the option.
Presumably some people find these things useful and it helps VW sell cars. It seems a bit odd that they reintroduced the option as standard without offering a solution to the security issue.

[king monkey]

A common misconception is that these relay thefts simply grab the signal and repeat it, that's not true, they also extend the signal, so you could put your key 100 yards away from your house but it would make no difference, the system will throw the signal from the box to the repeater from a long long way away.

As default on all my 'keyless' cars I use both a Disklok (plus the Steering wheel protector) and a pouch.

Luckily having keyless/KESSY is no longer that much of a security risk on the Golf 7.5, because it can be disabled. Lock the car with the fob, then within 5 seconds press the keyless button/sensor on the door handle. That switches off the keyless-entry system until the next time you unlock the car with the fob. Perfect for when leaving a 7.5 overnight or if in a particularly vulnerable place.

It's all about getting into routine and your security procedures become second nature. It's a bit of a faff at first, but once you have a routine with the Disklok it'll feel normal.

This is now how I always lock my car as I was worried before my R arrived. Great info from kmpowell. Disklok on and in the garage at night.

[Restlessnative]

A common misconception is that these relay thefts simply grab the signal and repeat it, that's not true, they also extend the signal, so you could put your key 100 yards away from your house but it would make no difference, the system will throw the signal from the box to the repeater from a long long way away.

As default on all my 'keyless' cars I use both a Disklok (plus the Steering wheel protector) and a pouch.

Luckily having keyless/KESSY is no longer that much of a security risk on the Golf 7.5, because it can be disabled. Lock the car with the fob, then within 5 seconds press the keyless button/sensor on the door handle. That switches off the keyless-entry system until the next time you unlock the car with the fob. Perfect for when leaving a 7.5 overnight or if in a particularly vulnerable place.

It's all about getting into routine and your security procedures become second nature. It's a bit of a faff at first, but once you have a routine with the Disklok it'll feel normal.

Shame the keyless disable system doesn't work on my Mk7.Just tried your method there, just in case it might work but no chance.I remember not long after i bought mine they dropped the keyless altogether from the 3 door,but not the 5 door?.I guess they were working on the new system.

[Mark V GTD]

A common misconception is that these relay thefts simply grab the signal and repeat it, that's not true, they also extend the signal, so you could put your key 100 yards away from your house but it would make no difference, the system will throw the signal from the box to the repeater from a long long way away.

Could you elaborate on this - surely the the thief would have to know where the key is with some accuracy (or guess correctly) and then has to be relatively close to it to pick up its signal (which is then amplified to the second thief standing near to the car). They range of the signal from the key itself is, as I understand it, quite short and thieves assume the key is kept in the hallway (images on news of thief standing near house front door with 'black box')?

[mcmaddy]

Well I can't open the car with my keys in the house approximately 15 feet away so to relay the signal they'd have to be in my house and if they are in the house they can just take the keys.

[kmpowell]

Well I can't open the car with my keys in the house approximately 15 feet away so to relay the signal they'd have to be in my house and if they are in the house they can just take the keys.

Misconception proven.

The thieves use two parts in relay theft. 1. A scanner/booster 2. A receiver.

The distance from the physical key to your car is totally irrelevant, and the distance from the scanner/booster to your key is only marginally relevant. The only constant that matters is the the distance from the scanner/booster to the receiver.

The receiver is always by the car (waiting for the signal so it can pretend to be the key), it's the scanner/booster that throws a signal to the receiver. The scanner/booster has two range elements, it can throw a captured signal to a receiver that is up to to 100m away, but more importantly it can grab signals from a key that is up to 25m away (depending on what is in between the key and the scanner/booster.

So a thief will normally scan the front of the house for ease (and because most people keep their keys by the front door), but if it's a big house, or it has particularly thick/dense walls, they might go round the back/side as shown in other youtube videos.

This works in car-parks, where you may get followed across a car park and the signal thrown to the receiver, or it might happen at home.

Relay theft is must-function, and multi-scenario.

[Vwjap]

Going by your math, why would anyone follow you across the car park if it has a 25 meter range?

[kmpowell]

Going by your math, why would anyone follow you across the car park if it has a 25 meter range?

Up to 25meter range from the scanner/booster to the physical key, then up to a 100m range from the scanner/booster to the receiver. They follow to make sure the thief holding the receiver has time to a) get in the car, and then b) to start it. On some cars it’s a two stage process where the kit requires two sets of 'relay' to occur.

These signals use particularly narrow bands though, so they can be interrupted very easily by physical objects, so that 25m distance is much much much shorter in practical terms as a constant signal is required for the relay to work.

[Vwjap]

So what your saying is although it has 25 meter range that’s only if the planets align, and at a further distance there are more errors, and even more if the key is not stationary on a table/key hook but in someone’s pocket

[Talk-torque]

Going by your math, why would anyone follow you across the car park if it has a 25 meter range?

Up to 25meter range from the scanner/booster to the physical key, then up to a 100m range from the scanner/booster to the receiver. They follow to make sure the thief holding the receiver has time to a) get in the car, and then b) to start it. On some cars it’s a two stage process where the kit requires two sets of 'relay' to occur.

These signals use particularly narrow bands though, so they can be interrupted very easily by physical objects, so that 25m distance is much much much shorter in practical terms as a constant signal is required for the relay to work.

Can I ask where these “facts” can be found? Sounds like near field communication technology might be better named far field technology. I am prepared to be educated, but the thought that this feature could be so radically flawed is disturbing.