When the Demons on your Driveway Steal Your Car

Relay Attacks: The Criminals’ Silent Spell

Once upon a time, car thieves needed crowbars, drills, or brute force. Not anymore. Modern criminals rely on electronics - relay devices designed to intercept the invisible radio signal from your key fob.

Here’s how it works: one thief lingers near your home, “catching” the fob’s signal, while an accomplice waits by your car.

The device amplifies the captured code and fools your vehicle into unlocking and starting. No damage, no noise, no evidence.

Within minutes, your car has vanished into the night, obedient to a phantom master.

The Facts Behind the Fear

Relay theft isn’t rare. It’s become one of the fastest-growing vehicle crimes in Britain.

The Crime Survey for England and Wales recorded that between March 2023 and March 2024, 58% of all car thefts involved criminals exploiting keyless entry technology.

The picture grows darker still. Tracker, Peter Best Insurance’s partner in theft recovery, reported that in August 2025, 98% of vehicles stolen through their system were keyless.

Almost every theft they investigated involved the same silent method.

No wonder this crime is described as “ghostly.” Victims wake to empty driveways, left confused and shaken by a theft that left no sign of intrusion.

More Than a Missing Car

The loss is not only financial, though the sums can be staggering, especially with prestige or high-value vehicles. The true cost lies in the psychological aftermath.

Knowing that criminals stood outside your home, intercepting signals that slipped silently through your walls, is profoundly unsettling.

This crime doesn’t just take a car. It leaves behind a sense of vulnerability.

Victims often describe it as though their home has been breached without a single door being opened.

Warding Off the Phantoms

The good news: you’re not powerless. There are practical “charms” that can keep these unseen intruders at bay:

• Faraday pouches or boxes: inexpensive, signal-blocking containers that render your fob invisible to relay devices.
  

• Visible deterrents like steering wheel or pedal locks: simple, physical obstacles that make your car a far less appealing target.
  

• CCTV and motion-activated lights: throw shadows into the spotlight, making it clear your home is not an easy mark.
  

• Smart parking strategies: use a locked garage, gates, or even park close to your house to restrict access.
  

• Insurance review: check your policy carefully. Does it explicitly cover keyless theft? Are you meeting any required precautions?
  

• And garlic? Well, it keeps away vampires. Sadly, there’s no evidence it works on relay thieves.

Each step adds another protective layer and together, they create strong resistance against the silent menace.

The Role of Insurance

Comprehensive policies generally cover theft. But insurers are no longer turning a blind eye to careless storage of keys or ignored precautions.

Many expect evidence that drivers are taking reasonable measures, from Faraday bags to visible locks.

Failing to do so can mean more than frustration. It can mean your claim is delayed, disputed, or even denied. At Peter Best Insurance, we help ensure your cover is tailored, modern, and fit for purpose — guarding you against both old-fashioned car crime and these new, high-tech threats.

A Seasonal Warning

This Halloween, the only visitors you want outside your door are costumed children with buckets of sweets.

Unfortunately, there may be darker presences lurking, the thieves who slip by in silence, ready to spirit your car away.

Prepare your defences. Protect your vehicle. And let no phantom lay claim to your driveway.