Keyless entry cars are hacked and stolen

[razz]

When I bought my Prius V I was pleased to have the keyless entry thinking it was more secure. I do keep it parked in a garage when not in use. I was naive in my thinking according to this https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47023003 report. Thieves can hack into the cars and steal with computer relays.
I suppose that one should expect this but it is disappointing.

[catherine]

I have had my Prius since 2007, with keyless entry, and I've never been worried, and I don't keep it in my garage (my garage is too filled with CR*P).

However, I tend not to be that worried about my stuff in general. I naively (I admit it--I know there are "bad guys" out there) rarely lock my house and rarely lock my car.

"I got no lock on the door, that's OK by me. They can steal the rugs from the floor. That's OK with me, cuz the things that I prize like the stars in the skies all are free."

Most would call me stupid, but I've survived 66 years with my carefree attitude. I'm truly not concerned about my keyless entry.

[lmerullo]

I think I have Catherine's attitude for the most part, until my trust is breached.

I don't have keyless entry, but do have electronic locks. When I got my new car (2017) I was frequently going out to the driveway to discover the doors unlocked. I obsessively would lock them at night. Only once was something taken. I think the "unlockee" and the thief may be two separate people, and even imagine the car was unlocked accidentally by someone nearby with the same code. Haven't we all heard of the person who unlocked the doors and drove off, only to discover the car wasn't theirs?

[SteveinMN]

I naively (I admit it--I know there are "bad guys" out there) rarely lock my house and rarely lock my car.
Even here in city limits (pop. 309,000) I'm OK leaving the house door unlocked if I can see the door most of the time. OTOH I tend to lock my car religiously because on this generation of compact VW, leaving it unlocked puts it in some sort of "sentry" mode that pulls a little out of the battery while it sits; why waste the battery? Fob batteries are way cheaper than the monster lead-acid unit the car users. And I am very careful about not leaving anything visible in the interior that would draw attention.

But I have heard of people in NYC back in the day who would leave the car unlocked on the theory that, if a thief was going to go after something in the car, if the door was not locked they wouldn't have to break a window and make a dangerous mess in the process.

[iris lilies]

Uhhhh, catherine and others are in a low crime area. I guess
I wouldnt be concernd either.

We have car crime weekly in my immediate neighborhood. But the ghetto boys do not like Prius autos, so yours would be safe for the moment anyway.

[SteveinMN]

But the ghetto boys do not like Prius autos
You'd think they would. Owning a Prius implies you have enough money to not buy some rock-bottom big-time depreciator used car. And if the object were taking them for parts, there are plenty of Priuses (Priii?) still on the road to make a market.

Maybe they're afraid they'd be electrocuted in the process of commandeering it?

ETA we have car crime here, too. About a month ago a car across the street was broken into because the owner left a cell phone on the front seat. >8) One night, two houses away, thieves managed to take all four wheels and tires off that owner's SUV. They left the truck up on blocks. *shrug* I still don't worry. We do tell visitors parking on the street to hide "interesting" items; we've never had an issue there, either. Lucky, maybe, I guess.

[iris lilies]

You'd think they would. Owning a Prius implies you have enough money to not buy some rock-bottom big-time depreciator used car. And if the object were taking them for parts, there are plenty of Priuses (Priii?) still on the road to make a market.

Maybe they're afraid they'd be electrocuted in the process of commandeering it?

ETA we have car crime here, too. About a month ago a car across the street was broken into because the owner left a cell phone on the front seat. >8) One night, two houses away, thieves managed to take all four wheels and tires off that owner's SUV. They left the truck up on blocks. *shrug* I still don't worry. We do tell visitors parking on the street to hide "interesting" items; we've never had an issue there, either. Lucky, maybe, I guess.
We are having the “all 4 wheels taken” thefts as well. They are Wtf.

if Prius autos become fashionable to steal then watch out Prius owners. I dont know what is the current fashionable auto to steal. Much of the auto theft around here is opportunity theft for joy riding. They steal the car, drive it around, and then abandon it.

Several months ago we were having a rash of breakins of trucks. That week it was rampant truck clouting. Someone speculated the perps were looking for guns. Redneck Profiling? Maybe.

[Teacher Terry]

I never locked my side and back door while home but that’s changed. A few weeks ago 4 people were killed during the day. The killer knocked on their front door and when they opened it he forced his way in with a gun. I am not answering the door anymore unless I know the person. It was not my neighborhood but a much fancier one. When my ex worked in a bad neighborhood in Milwaukee he left the car unlocked so they wouldn’t break the window.

[catherine]

We are having the “all 4 wheels taken” thefts as well. They are Wtf.

if Prius autos become fashionable to steal then watch out Prius owners. I dont know what is the current fashionable auto to steal. Much of the auto theft around here is opportunity theft for joy riding. They steal the car, drive it around, and then abandon it.

Several months ago we were having a rash of breakins of trucks. That week it was rampant truck clouting. Someone speculated the perps were looking for guns. Redneck Profiling? Maybe.

Yes, if I weren't in a pretty safe neighborhood I might feel differently, but it's funny how perception works. If I leave my car at Newark Airport overnight or so I tend to feel a little uneasy and I definitely lock it and use cover that covers up the contents in the hatchback. When I leave from Burlington Airport, I don't have that same unease. But ironically, the one time I ever had something stolen out of my car, it was in Burlington! You never know.

[SteveinMN]

We are having the “all 4 wheels taken” thefts as well. They are Wtf.
A set of blingy wheels and tires for such vehicles can run into four figures without trying hard. In this case, we suspect whoever it was knew the guy since they didn't take anything out of the truck but they also stole the outboard motor from his boat (parked off-street where most people would park their truck) but left the boat. A kind of tweak to him. Lots of stories from that house. I'm happy they've all moved on.


I dont know what is the current fashionable auto to steal. Much of the auto theft around here is opportunity theft for joy riding. They steal the car, drive it around, and then abandon it.
Not to put this conversation on too much of a tangent, but there's money in stealing cars and supplying parts to body shops and mechanics at a -- umm -- discount. The most popular cars to steal are the most popular to buy, too. They're not often going after road-burning Ford Mustangs or Porsches; they go for pickups (by far the most popular vehicles sold in the U.S.), Toyota Corollas and Camrys, Honda Civics and Accords. A wide ready market for used parts from the chop shop. Apparently Priii have not yet hit the big time in this regard (that's OK).

[jp1]

Apparently Priii have not yet hit the big time in this regard (that's OK).

Maybe my city is different from most of the country (ok, that's actually a given in many ways, but maybe also with car choices...) but there are absolutely as many Priii here as there are the other cars you mentioned.

Back to the topic at hand, my sixth generation Accord doesn't have keyless entry, or even a key fob, and without the key present it's not going anywhere under its own power. I suppose someone with a tow truck could take it though. We don't park on the street that often anymore so I don't worry too much.