Car remote jamming a daily threat

For some it often takes longer to secure their cars they have parked outside the grocery shop than buying the groceries. A simple stop and go for a loaf of bread now requires a full lockdown and code- red procedure.

Not doing so could leave one permanently separated from whatever precious cargo is being transported.

Remote car jammers prowl the parking lots of our shopping malls and Captain Juanita Yorke, the spokesperson of Roodepoort Police has offered some insight as to how they operate. “Most modern remote controls use what is called rolling technology, which means that the code command cannot be copied nor cloned. However, because most modern remote controls work with radio waves that use an allocated radio frequency, they are still vulnerable to remote jamming,” Yorke explained.

Cloning these radio frequencies is not a difficult task and once a thief has worked out the mechanics of receivers and transmitters, the rest is rather simple. “When a criminal presses the button of another remote in close proximity, the receiver actually receives two messages simultaneously. These two messages are consequentially scrambled, leaving the intended action incomplete,” she said.

She assured car owners though that criminals have not yet found a way to remotely unlock your car. “At this point it should be noted that these remote control and jamming devices cannot unlock your vehicle,” she said. That said, the public is urged to remain forever vigilant.

Yorke offered the following advice:

– Remote jamming is not limited to shopping centres and occurs wherever you may park your vehicle.

– Make sure that your vehicle is locked before you walk away. You should manually check and test the doors and boot.

– Never push the remote control locking device whilst walking away from the vehicle.

– Always be aware of your surroundings and keep a lookout for suspicious-looking people hanging around, and for suspicious activities.

– Report suspicious-looking people to security or move your vehicle to a safer place such as undercover parking with booms and security, if available.

– Never ever leave valuables in your vehicle. Numerous cases are reported daily of people leaving their cellphones, laptops and other items such as handbags in the vehicle where they are visible from the outside.

With thanks to roodepoortrecord.co.za