All precautions are few when it comes to protecting our car from possible theft. Criminals do not skimp on seeking any opportunity to perpetrate their criminal acts, regardless of the make, model or age of the vehicle. From the most modern and luxurious cars to the most modest ones, all are at risk of becoming a target for crime. Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of the main methods that criminals use to avoid falling into their traps.
The insurance comparator Arpem has compiled on its blog the most common theft methods that criminals use to steal vehicles and belongings. Among the ploys, there are sophisticated ones, such as the use of electronic devices to override the car's security system, and other simpler ones that take advantage of the owners' distractions or carelessness.
There is a theft technique that takes advantage of publications on buying and selling pages on the internet or social networks. Although subtle, it is highly effective, as it rarely involves violence, but relies on people's naivety. A potential buyer shows interest in the advertised car and agrees to meet the seller to examine the vehicle. After inspecting it, the buyer asks to take it for a test drive to confirm his purchase decision and at that moment, the thief takes the opportunity to escape with the car.
Criminals follow a car with only the driver in it. They hit his rear to cause him to get out of the vehicle immediately to check the extent of the damage. Since the most common thing is that you do not lock the car, a third person enters the scene to get into the car and take your belongings or even steal the vehicle.
In this tactic, thieves use more advanced methods. They use frequency jammers to deactivate the car alarm the moment the driver gets out and presses the key remote control. They usually wait a few minutes until the victim walks away, then enter and take the vehicle away.
To carry out this tactic, criminals look for their victims among drivers traveling alone. They warn them of a problem with the car, usually a flat tire. The first reaction is to park as soon as possible and, at the moment of getting out, another person gets into the vehicle and steals it. A similar method is to locate a person carrying groceries in the parking lot of a shopping center. At one point they distract the victim with any excuse and another person gets into the car to take the valuable items.
The thieves go in a tow truck and look at the damaged vehicles that are parked on the shoulder. They approach their victims indicating that the insurance is sending them and they, confident, allow the tow truck to lift the car. To give greater veracity to the deception, the criminals even ask for the vehicle's travel address and inform them that a taxi will soon come to pick them up. When the theft is discovered, it is too late.
At the entrance to busy and sophisticated places, such as nightclubs or restaurants, a uniformed person kindly greets the occupants of the car. He gives them a ticket and takes charge of the vehicle. But instead of parking the vehicle, he leaves with it.
Without a doubt, it is the most sophisticated technique of all, as it involves the use of smart keys, a smartphone and signal amplifier equipment. This tactic is especially common in places such as stores, restaurants and bars, where the distance between the driver and their vehicle is short.
To put it into practice, criminals copy the signal from the car owner's Smart key. Using a mobile phone and using the victim's phone as a bridge, the thieves manipulate the car's computer system. One of the criminals, from the place where the victim is, sends the order to unlock or start the engine and the other takes the opportunity to enter the vehicle and steal it.
