Good morning / afternoon residents

recently you received a message alerting you of an increased number of VEHICLE thefts in the Swansea area, including Gower.

            ******   PLEASE READ THE BELOW CRIME PREVENTION ADVICE IN RELATION TO THIS.  ******

 Please can you spread the word for everyone to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activity via 101 or in any emergency dial 999 at the very earliest opportunity.

In most of these cases vehicles are being stolen without the keys, please see advice below in relation to preventing keyless car theft which can be shared with your communities. 

Keep the keys safe

Vehicles today are by and large more difficult to steal than ever, unless the thief can access your key or fob to clone them. Keep your keys safe, out of view when at home, and away from your front door. It’s not uncommon for car keys to be stolen from inside your home by thieves fishing for them with a stick and hook through the letterbox.

Keyless entry

Cars with keyless entry unlock automatically when the key comes within a short distance of the car. This can be from inside a pocket or bag. If you have to push a button on your car key to open your car, you don't have keyless entry.

Keyless car theft or 'relay theft' is when a device is used to fool the car into thinking the key is close by. This unlocks the car and starts the ignition.

Thieves only need to be within a few metres of your car key to capture the signal, even if it’s inside your home. This means that even if your car and home are secure, thieves can still unlock, start and steal your car.

How to protect your keyless entry car

When at home keep your car key (and the spare) away from the car, doors and windows

Put your keys in a signal-blocking pouch, such as a Faraday Bag

Turn off wireless signals on your fob when it's not being used

Use a steering wheel lock or car alarm

Park in your garage overnight, if you don’t have a garage park close to your home

Tips and actions for preventing car and vehicle theft