To reduce vehicle thefts, the City of Vaughan is handing out thousands of free key fob protective bags to residents starting this week.
“Studies have shown that key fob protective bags can block thieves from reading radio frequencies in car key fobs. While the bags are one method to safeguard your vehicle, you are encouraged to do your own research and take the appropriate steps you believe will be best to protect your property.”
– the city wrote in an announcement, advising that there is a limited number of bags that will be distributed.
Last year, Waterloo police also handed out the protective bags as part of an event to raise awareness about keyless vehicle thefts. Keyless theft, also known as ‘Key Relay theft’, is when a device is used to fool the car with keyless entry into thinking the car’s own remote key fob is close by, unlocking the car and allowing the ignition to be started.
As part of Vaughan’s pilot project, residents can request a bag at any community centre while supplies last. They are being given out on a first-come-first-served basis. To receive a bag, residents must show a driver’s licence with a Vaughan address and sign a release of liability. Drivers can ensure the pouch works by walking up to their car and checking if the door opens. If it doesn’t, then the pouch has successfully blocked the fob signal.
Police warn about spike in Auto Thefts
According to Toronto police, auto theft in the city has increased substantially over the past few years, with the Honda CR-Vs and Ford F-150 trucks being some of the most-stolen vehicles. They announced in April that as part of their Project Stallion, they had recovered more than 550 stolen cars, worth a combined $27.4 million. At the time, 314 charges had been laid against 119 people, according to Chief Myron Demkiw.
“Thieves are using highly sophisticated methods to steal vehicles and are using those vehicles to carry out other crimes or to ship them overseas, where they are resold for well above their value.”
– police said in a statement. York police had also noted a spike in car thefts from people’s driveways, saying thieves typically like to operate between midnight and 6am.
Tips to avoid car theft
York Regional Police recommends people avoid having their car running unattended or leave their keys hanging inside the door, especially during winter months while warming up their vehicles. Police have also suggested people to always hold onto their keys, keep their vehicles locked and park in a locked garage whenever possible. They should also ensure that any valuables are in the trunk or out of view.
In addition to this, investing in vehicle security, such as installing a stolen vehicle tracker, could help to prevent losing your vehicle altogether. Our S5 Tracker allows you to track your vehicle’s location on your mobile at any time, all year round, and offers 24/7/365 support from our Monitoring team, so that in the event of theft they will liaise with the police and help to recover your vehicle using our advanced systems.
Among the steps drivers can take are purchasing a steering wheel lock and getting a ‘port blocker’ – a lock that attaches to the on-board diagnostic port under the dashboard. This can offer an extra layer of security, preventing an opportunistic thief from easily driving away with your vehicle.