Motorists urged to ensure cars locked: Thieves use jammers to foil remote controls

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Motorists urged to ensure cars locked
KHWANHATHAI MALAKAN
THE NATION



Police renew warning now that thieves use jammers to foil remote controls

BANGKOK: -- Police and academics have again warned motorists to physically check if their doors are locked after high-tech car thieves started using stronger jammers to foil remote controls.

"Drivers should use a key to lock their cars," Pol Gen Somyos Phumphanmuang, a deputy National Police chief and director of the Car and Motorcycle Theft Suppression Centre, told a press conference yesterday.

Car thieves are steadily improving their techniques to break into people's vehicles and steal their valuables, as shown by the arrest of Wichien Bandasak, 48, in the parking lot of Macro's Bang Phli branch in Samut Prakan on August 22.

Bang Kaew police nabbed the man while he was allegedly ransacking customers' cars. Police found that the suspect used a modified "walkie-talkie" radio transceiver with its frequency raised to match the targeted cars' remote control signal. With this device, remotes within 25-55 metres of a car can't lock the doors.

This was more effective than using other marques' remotes to interfere with the targeted cars' remote, he added.

Dusit Suksawat, a lecturer in electrical engineering and technology at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, said the latest gadget had two antennas that could send out two stronger signals. The devices could be bought anywhere for about Bt5,000 and modified by experts to create signals strong enough to be used for criminal purposes.

Sayamon Kanchanawisitpol said she noticed a Mini Cooper parked nearby before she left her car to go into Macro to buy something. Fifteen minutes later, she was told that her car had been broken into by a thief, but police had caught him in time.

She said the thieves might not target particular brands of cars, but were more likely to target a car used by a lone woman. She urged fellow motorists to be more careful when locking their cars so that they wouldn't be victimised by thieves using hi-tech methods against cars' safety systems.


-- The Nation 2013-08-30

[Mampara]

Nothing beats the good old key and lock. I believe that in some countries car theft is so bad that the owners are forced to weld latches on the doors of their cars so that they can use padlocks to secure their vehicles.

[Soutpeel]

Nothing beats the good old key and lock. I believe that in some countries car theft is so bad that the owners are forced to weld latches on the doors of their cars so that they can use padlocks to secure their vehicles.

you do know Mr Bean is not real dont you ?

[chooka]

My wife told me about this last week, apparently happening in Chiangmai as well. She now insists on physically checking that the doors are locked before walking away from our vehicle.

[noitom]

A lock will only keep an honest man honest .

[richard_smith237]

I'm wondering whether or not this effects cars with keyless entry...

i.e. my key never leaves my pocket: Upon exiting my car I lock the doors by placing my thumb on top of the handle.

I enter the locked car by simply openeing the handle (the key has to be with about 1m proximity).

[Soutpeel]

I'm wondering whether or not this effects cars with keyless entry...

i.e. my key never leaves my pocket: Upon exiting my car I lock the doors by placing my thumb on top of the handle.

I enter the locked car by simply openeing the handle (the key has to be with about 1m proximity).

Police found that the suspect used a modified "walkie-talkie" radio transceiver with its frequency raised to match the targeted cars' remote control signal. With this device, remotes within 25-55 metres of a car can't lock the doors.

I am not an electronic's expert

how do they know what the frequency is the remote is using so they can match it ?....As far as I know a typical remote has 9 dip switches inside which dependent combination used ie which are on and which are off gives the specific frequency transmitted for that particuar vehicle.

I remember reading a news report years (not Thailand) were thieves were targetting higher end brands of vehicle and what they did was scanning the frequency using some piece of kit when the owner used their remote to get the frequency, the owner locked the car as normal, walked away and the thieves knew the frequency to open it...however this report says a modified walkie takie is blocking the frequency ?

bad reporting ? anyone who knows electronics care to comment ?

[ridkun]

I'm wondering whether or not this effects cars with keyless entry...

i.e. my key never leaves my pocket: Upon exiting my car I lock the doors by placing my thumb on top of the handle.

I enter the locked car by simply openeing the handle (the key has to be with about 1m proximity).

Police found that the suspect used a modified "walkie-talkie" radio transceiver with its frequency raised to match the targeted cars' remote control signal. With this device, remotes within 25-55 metres of a car can't lock the doors.

I am not an electronic's expert

how do they know what the frequency is the remote is using so they can match it ?....As far as I know a typical remote has 9 dip switches inside which dependent combination used ie which are on and which are off gives the specific frequency transmitted for that particuar vehicle.

I remember reading a news report years (not Thailand) were thieves were targetting higher end brands of vehicle and what they did was scanning the frequency using some piece of kit when the owner used their remote to get the frequency, the owner locked the car as normal, walked away and the thieves knew the frequency to open it...however this report says a modified walkie takie is blocking the frequency ?

bad reporting ? anyone who knows electronics care to comment ?

According to Wikipedia, the frequency is fixed.

Keyless remotes contain a short-range radio transmitter, and must be within a certain range, usually 5–20 meters (15–60 ft), of the car to work. When a button is pushed, it sends a coded signal by radio waves to a receiver unit in the car, which locks or unlocks the door. Most RKEs operate at a frequency of 315 MHz for North America-made cars and at433.92 MHz for European, Japanese and Asian cars. Modern systems implement encryption to prevent car thieves from intercepting and spoofing the signal. Earlier systems used infrared instead of radio signals to unlock the vehicle, such as systems found on Mercedes-Benz,^[3] BMW^[4] and other manufacturers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_keyless_system

[falang07]

Scanning the frequency is not enough to open a car, you must know the code. It means it is much easier to just jam a wider spectrum (which is generally known, these frequencies are allocated directly for this purpose) to prevent it being locked in the first place.

[Soutpeel]

I'm wondering whether or not this effects cars with keyless entry...

i.e. my key never leaves my pocket: Upon exiting my car I lock the doors by placing my thumb on top of the handle.

I enter the locked car by simply openeing the handle (the key has to be with about 1m proximity).

Police found that the suspect used a modified "walkie-talkie" radio transceiver with its frequency raised to match the targeted cars' remote control signal. With this device, remotes within 25-55 metres of a car can't lock the doors.

I am not an electronic's expert

how do they know what the frequency is the remote is using so they can match it ?....As far as I know a typical remote has 9 dip switches inside which dependent combination used ie which are on and which are off gives the specific frequency transmitted for that particuar vehicle.

I remember reading a news report years (not Thailand) were thieves were targetting higher end brands of vehicle and what they did was scanning the frequency using some piece of kit when the owner used their remote to get the frequency, the owner locked the car as normal, walked away and the thieves knew the frequency to open it...however this report says a modified walkie takie is blocking the frequency ?

bad reporting ? anyone who knows electronics care to comment ?

According to Wikipedia, the frequency is fixed.

Keyless remotes contain a short-range radio transmitter, and must be within a certain range, usually 5–20 meters (15–60 ft), of the car to work. When a button is pushed, it sends a coded signal by radio waves to a receiver unit in the car, which locks or unlocks the door. Most RKEs operate at a frequency of 315 MHz for North America-made cars and at433.92 MHz for European, Japanese and Asian cars. Modern systems implement encryption to prevent car thieves from intercepting and spoofing the signal. Earlier systems used infrared instead of radio signals to unlock the vehicle, such as systems found on Mercedes-Benz,^[3] BMW^[4] and other manufacturers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_keyless_system

ok so the frequency is fixed, so what are the dip switches inside the remotes ?...I had problems with a remote one time, bought a new one with all dip switches set at "off" matched the combination of dip switches to my existing remote and new remote worked ?....trying figure out what exactly these dip swtiches do if the frquency is fixed ?...code the signal ?

[Soutpeel]

Scanning the frequency is not enough to open a car, you must know the code. It means it is much easier to just jam a wider spectrum (which is generally known, these frequencies are allocated directly for this purpose) to prevent it being locked in the first place.

ah ok makes sense...not trying to be perdantic asking all this, just curious of how they do it...that all..

[kriswillems]

If your remote has dip switches they will be most likely used to set the code, as you said.

[richard_smith237]

Yup - I read it as a Signal Jammer. So as long as we double check that our Motor is locked we should be fine...

I am however wondering if it can interfere with those touch sensitive key-less locks (i.e. just touch the handle with the key in your pocket to lock - Such as those BMW use).

[biplanebluey]

I am not much into electronics so am a bit baffled with all this.If I lock my car with the remote ----it is locked ,right,and cannot be opened with these "jammers".The simple thing to do is to check the door is locked before you walk away.My wife has been doing this for a long time now and it used to irritate me but now I do the same if I am on my own.Does this make sense??????---Dougal

[misterphil]

My wife told me about this last week, apparently happening in Chiangmai as well. She now insists on physically checking that the doors are locked before walking away from our vehicle.

Same here, my wife told me about this and insists on checking the doors are locked too. You can hear the door lock solenoids closing, it would be interesting to know if these jammers actually stop the signal from your car remote, or do they bounce back open the door locks when used. I always watch to see the hazard lights flash when my doors are locked and the alarm is immobilised.

[WitawatWatawit]

A couple of points from another layman. If this device is a jammer, then wouldn't you know your car isn't being locked properly? By that I mean you wouldn't see the locks click down and the beep and the lights flash. So you'd know something is wrong.

Second point, the story mentions that the thief was after valuables in a car, not stealing the actual car itself. So, does this mean, with reference to my first point, that the jammer only opens the locks, not disables the entire electronic safety system (to steal the car)?

Or have I missed the point completely? I'm confused.

Wit.

[kuiburi]

Our car is that old that the locks not work anymore , but I not worry about it , nothing of value inside anyway

[Khaopadkai]

A couple of points from another layman. If this device is a jammer, then wouldn't you know your car isn't being locked properly? By that I mean you wouldn't see the locks click down and the beep and the lights flash. So you'd know something is wrong.

Second point, the story mentions that the thief was after valuables in a car, not stealing the actual car itself. So, does this mean, with reference to my first point, that the jammer only opens the locks, not disables the entire electronic safety system (to steal the car)?

Or have I missed the point completely? I'm confused.

Wit.

Actually this is more like a "man in the middle" attack --> They can jam the signal if they are between you (using the remote transmitting key) and the car. They send a strong signal that makes that much "noise" (on the frequency that the car "listens") that the car cannot "hear" your signal to lock. If you are very close to your car the trick won't work, because then the signal of your electronic key will be stronger than that of the jammer who is standing many meters further. Obviously if you see that the car locks (it makes a locking sound) - all is well. They hang around at the parking lot and aim for those who walk away 10, 20, 30 meters and then lock the car. That is when you are vulnerable. So if you lock when you are close, and you see/hear the car lock there is no problem. Just dont walk away and lock from a distance when you are in a hurry or something.

The code has got nothing to do with. They dont break the code. They dont have the code, nor do they retransmit it. They just prevent your signal from reaching the car so it remains open. They cannot drive away with your car (unless they resort to other techniques once they are in your car and have access to the electronics).

/khaopadkai

Edited August 30, 2013 by Khaopadkai

[TommyUK1960]

Most new cars when locked the mirrors go to the sleep position.

If they jam the locking then mirrors will stay normal.

Besides the point, I have stopped at many garage and cars are left with engine running and no one in them.

So why they need this fancy stuff?

[Sayonarax]

Your welcome to steal all the kids DVDs from the backseat and the odd 1 baht coin..

[ozyjon]

Just goes to show,,,,, in the parking lot of Macro's Bang Phli branch in Samut Prakan on August 22. been there many times.

[giggles]

looks like a steering wheel lock and gearshift lock maybe needed as well

[Spoonman]

looks like a steering wheel lock and gearshift lock maybe needed as well

You did not read the thread at all did you..........the cars are not being stolen but rather valuables from inside.

[ataloss]

^7

' dip switch ' - luv it !

Now adopted for wider use; thanks SP.

[MaiChai]

My wife told me about this last week, apparently happening in Chiangmai as well.  She now insists on physically checking that the doors are locked before walking away from our vehicle.

Same here, my wife told me about this and insists on checking the doors are locked too. You can hear the door lock solenoids closing, it would be interesting to know if these jammers actually stop the signal from your car remote, or do they bounce back open the door locks when used. I always watch to see the hazard lights flash when my doors are locked and the alarm is immobilised.

The jammer creates a much larger signal than your remote so your remotes signal is not picked up by your car. so you think you have locked your car but its still open. best use the remote and check its locked with the door handle before you walk away.

I have noticed the security on cars in Thailand is nowhere as good as the security you get on cars in Europe.

[JulesMad]

I never lock the doors of my car

Because:

- there is nothing to steal in it (except for my radio)

- car is 15 years old and looks shitty

- you have to be stupid to steal my car, as there are always so much nicer cars around