Thieves use 'relay' device to steal 4x4 from York house

Police are warning owners about keyless car thefts after a 4x4 was stolen in York.

Officers believe thieves used a handheld gadget, called a relay device, to take the black Mercedes GLC from outside a home in Huntington.

The devices are used to scan for a nearby key signal, which is then transmitted to the car.

It tricks the the vehicle's computer into detecting the presence of the key, allowing the doors to be opened and the ignition started.

North Yorkshire Police shared a CCTV image of thieves taking a car in a similar incident in the Midlands to illustrated the problem.

A spokesman said: "Most people have heard of ‘two-in-one thefts’ - when thieves break into a house to steal car keys.

"Keyless ‘relay’ car crime is less common which means fewer people know about it, or the specific ways this type of theft can be prevented."

The Mercedes, registration KM66 JZV, was stolen from Dalby Mead at around 5am on Saturday, 31 August.

Police are appealing for information.

Owners can protect their keys by keeping them in a foil lined pouch.

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