Good morning

A BMW 7 series has been stolen, without the keys, from Dunniwood Close. Whitwood, Castleford in the early hours of Sunday morning. 

There were also 2 attempts to steal vehicles on Valley Court, Whitwood on the same morning – a Range Rover and an Audi SQ5.

Two suspects have been sighted at each crime scene and investigations are ongoing.

A warning to owners of cars with keyless entry.

Cars with keyless entry unlock automatically when the key comes within a short-range distance of the car.

Keyless car theft, also known as ‘relay theft’, occurs when a device is used to fool the car into thinking the key is close by; this unlocks the car and allows the ignition to be started. 

What can I do?

Keep car keys safe -. Avoid leaving them near your door and window. Thieves only need to be within a few metres of your car key to capture the signal, even if its inside your home. Keep them out of view in a safe place.

Use a signal-blocking pouch/Faraday bag - The pouch can block the transmission of the signal from the car key once inside the pouch. You could also use a metal tin as this will also block any signal. 

Turn off the fob’s wireless signal - Wireless signals on some keyless fobs can be turned off. Look in your car manual to see if this is possible, if not, contact your vehicle manufacturer. 

Reprogramming the key - If you buy a second-hand car consider reprogramming they keys.

“Ghost” style immobiliser - A unique PIN or code sequence is inputted before the car will start. This stops the car from being driven away in the event of a theft.

Steering wheel lock – A visible deterrent that guards against various theft techniques. 

There’s lots of helpful advice on our website Vehicle crime | West Yorkshire Police

If you have any further questions on crime prevention you can e mail your crime prevention officers at wakefieldcpo@westyorkshire.police.uk