Johannesburg - We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. Check, double check and check again that your car is actually locked before walking away from it.
An incident involving Cape Town motoring journalist Juliet McGuire, who was a recent victim of car remote jamming, has brought the ugly subject back into light, and now South African insurance companies are again urging motorists to be extra vigilant against this well-known method of car burglary.
REMOTE JAMMING INCIDENT CAUGHT ON CAMERA
We first reported cases of remote signal blocking as far back as 2009, and the dirty tactic became increasingly popular with thieves in 2012.
The scheme is very simple - burglars wait in proximity to your vehicle, generally in public areas such as parking lots or busy streets, and as you walk away after parking they activate a signal-scrambling device to prevent you from locking your car remotely. They then have easy access to your unattended car, and can make a quick getaway with valuables via unlocked doors and boots.
Modern cars with remote locking features operate on a fixed frequency set by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, making it relatively easy for crooks to intercept specific wavelengths between your key and car. Signal-blocking devices can be bought online for as little as R350, but it’s also possible in some cases for thieves to scramble locking signals with an ordinary gate remote.
CLAIMS DIFFICULT TO PROCESS
MUA Insurance Acceptances CEO Christelle Colman said that claims involving theft from cars could be difficult to process without visible signs of forced entry or proof that a jamming device was used.
“Whether an insurance company will pay out a claim relating to remote jamming would vary greatly between insurers and policies,” she said. “However, for a claim to be successful the insurer would likely request some form of proof from the client, which is particularly tricky unless the motorist happens to park in view of a security camera and are also able to obtain the footage which supports their version of events.”
Prevention is the best solution to this crime, and while most of us are guilty of assuming our cars are secure when we press the remote key button, it only takes a moment to physically check the doors are actually locked before walking away.
Some cars also have settings for an audible chirp upon lock activation and these should be used if possible. It’s also not advisable to tempt fate by leaving valuable items exposed on seats. Keep laptops, handbags and other valuables hidden inside the boot, and if your SUV or wagon has a retractable blind make sure it’s in place.