KUALA LUMPUR: Car theft and vehicle break-ins tend to spike during major festive periods such as Chinese New Year and Hari Raya, as crowded malls, bazaars and balik kampung travel leave cars unattended and owners distracted.
Stressing the need for layered security, Bukit Aman Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department (JPJKK) director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri urged motorists to install added protection such as steering or pedal locks or even immobilisers to deter quick, opportunistic thefts.
“Having added (security) measures will make it hard for any prospective thieves to steal a vehicle,” he said.
Comm Mohd Yusri said vehicle security must not be taken for granted as any lapse in vigilance could prove costly.
“Remember to always park at designated parking areas and not at an alley or side street, away from other people’s view.
“Always ensure that vehicles are locked properly even if you are leaving it for a little while. Don’t create opportunity for thieves to take advantage of.”
He said the public must remain alert of the safety of their belongings, especially their vehicles.
“Do not leave things to chance when it comes to safety and security. Prevention is better than cure,” he added.
While the police are stepping up crime prevention patrols to boost security, Comm Mohd Yusri said the public must also play their part.
“One of the best ways is to install extra security for vehicles.
“We believe thieves will not want to spend a lot of time dismantling extra security features. They prefer a quick theft,” he said.
Vehicle Theft and Accident Reduction Council of Malaysia Bhd (VTAREC) coordinator Mas Tina Abdul Hamid said thieves constantly find ways to outsmart technology to bypass advanced vehicle security systems.
She said a relay attack is a method thieves use by intercepting signals from a key fob.
“It remains the most common technique as the vehicle’s security system will respond as if the key is nearby. The vehicle unlocks, the thief gets in, starts the engine at the push of a button and drives away,” she said in an interview with The Star.
Mas Tina cautioned that criminals are also moving beyond relay attacks with other more advanced signal cloning and hacking devices.
“The weakest link in most keyless cars remains the electronic signal emitted by the key fob itself. The speed at which these crimes are committed is particularly alarming. A skilled thief can unlock and drive off with a keyless vehicle in under a minute and as fast as 30 seconds,” she said.
She said among the effective measures that can significantly reduce the risk of relay attack was the use of a Faraday key fob pouch which blocks the key’s signal and prevents it from being cloned.
A Faraday pouch is a special protective sleeve that blocks RFID and electromagnetic signals, preventing car key signals from transmitting outside the barrier and protecting them from signal theft.
“The key fob pouch is cheap and effective. Other recommended measures include installing an immobiliser to prevent the engine from starting without its key or fob,” Mas Tina said.
Over the past five years, an average of 9,000 motorcycles, 3,000 cars and 800 commercial vehicles were reported stolen in Malaysia annually, according to data released by police and the insurance industry.
