X5 Stolen from outside my house

[jevansio]

Just wanted to post this incase it helps anyone

On Saturday night my X5 was taken from outside my house, no signs of damage on floor etc, and my keys were in the house.  Ive no idea how it was taken, Police are suggesting keys were within range of vehicle for some booster device or something????

Can anyone shed any light on the situation as I want to know what Ive done wrong to avoid this in future?  Its put me off owning another e70

Anyone else had this happen?

Jay

[Beefcake-2001]

I assume your car has got comfort access ? If your Keys where left near your front door or near a window they can locate the signal emitted from your key and boost this so your car thinks the key is in or next to the car.

This then enables them to get in the car and start the engine. I now have a steering lock on my steering wheel on my X6M and ALWAYS keep my keys in a Faraday key pouch. All my car keys now are also left in a tin away from the front door.

I am sure there is a thread on this on the forum. I thought BMW had an updated software fix for this on comfort access vehicles.

Hope you get it all sorted.   

[X5Sport]

Oh sh1t!  I’m really sorry to read this, and I hope it gets recovered more or less undamaged.  This is now a very serious problem industry wide.

From your comment, did you have keyless ignition & access?

If you did (and for anyone else with that type of system) read on.

Keyless ignition systems are vulnerable to a new type of theft system that takes advantage of the fact that the key and the car ping each with a radio signal between key and car and that provides the authentication to unlock and start the car.

What thieves are doing is using a pair of devices, linked by radio, one of which takes the ping from the car and sends it to the other device which then rebroadcasts that ping on the same frequency as the car to the key, detects the key’s response and sends it back to the car.  The car sees a valid signal and unlocks.  Keep the process going and you then start the car and away you go.  Keyless Systems will not shut off the engine whilst driving - extremely dangerous if the key battery dies - but typically they won’t allow a restart.  The thieves drive to their lockup and switch off.  They are in the car so can connect into the OBD2 port (which is live due to EU regulations) and can programme another key.

It is as simple as that - I’ll leave out the finer technical points.

The few ways around it are:
1.  Don’t buy a car with keyless entry/ignition.
2.  If you have such a system, then keep your keys in an RFID secure wallet - get them in all sorts of places for about £10 - as these prevent the thieves from getting any signal to/from your keys.
3.  Keep your keys as far away as possible from anywhere that thieves can get to.  Upstairs on the opposite side of the house will do.
4.  Buy a ‘stoplock’ type device that fits over the steering wheel.
5.  Consider getting a two factor security system which needs either a smart tag to be present or specific button press combination to start the car.
6.  Get a smart tag tracker which needs some additional hardware to be in the car all the time or the tracker triggers.

The motor industry has yet again failed to pay any regard to proper security.  It isn’t just BMW, but pretty much EVERY vehicle that uses keyless tech that is at risk.  Thieves have absolutely no trouble getting the right kit for under £300 on the web.  As long as a radio based key system is used, it can be hijacked regardless of software/firmware.  Cyber security on motor vehicles (and on many Internet of Things devices) is woefully below par.  Doing it properly will add a couple of pounds to the per vehicle cost but the bean counters simply ignore it.

There should be a system built in that polls the key every few seconds and if the key is not present shuts the car down the next time it physically stops (say at a junction) and turns everything off as well as triggering the alarm.

I bought a pair of these RFID wallets from Amazon for my now gone Škoda Superb with keyless entry/ignition and with the key in it and next to the door handle sensor, the car did not respond at all.

[jevansio]

Thanks for the replies guys I will take the time to read that tonight at home in detail

As for comfort access, I dont have it!  Does this mean someone has dupilcated my key?  Or has been taken via a more brutal approach?

[X5Sport]

That would be my thought.  Had your car had a security update?  There was one a couple of years back to cover a ‘problem’ with non Comfort Access cars being stolen.  It was possible to jam the key and prevent the car from locking.  Thieves get in, clone the key and are gone in under 5 mins.  >:(

You were undoubtedly targeted and that leaves a very nasty taste in the mouth.  It happened to us a few years back and made us very paranoid for a while.  :'(

[jevansio]

"Paranoid" is a word that describes my feelings perfectly.  Horrible to think my home has been watched.  I really didnt think an 11 year old car would be that desirable

PS I'd not had a security update while Ive had the car, I only got it in January

Such a shame as it was a brilliant motor :/

It makes me want to own a very bland car tbh

[Horizon]

Very sorry to here of the theft of your X5, my first thoughts were of the comfort access thefts that are taking place, especially in the South East.
My Kia has Comfort access and it is a concern to me, so I have purchased the signal blocking key pouches as recommended by X5 Sport . In my eyes it's a useless so called option.
But as yours didn't have comfort access other means have been used. Your key wouldn't have been detectable in the same way, i.e. Being too close to the exterior of the house, as it will only transmit when the button is pressed.
The BMW X5 has been top of the most stolen car list for many years, and is targeted by gangs who put them in Shipping containers and ship them to well know corrupt countries around the world.
As said we all hope it turns up in an undamaged state.

[Sky Bear]

Where did you buy it from? Not unheard of for the people selling to be linked to the later theft.

My Range Rover was stolen after service at main dealer. One of the technicians was selling keys and address to less than honest mates who would then come and remove car quietly in the middle of the night.

I had a tracker and vehicle was recovered in less than 40 minutes undamaged and scroats caught.
Happy days.

[Pat Mustard]

Had a previous X5 stolen on me so decided for future cars I would look after the anti theft myself. I've fitted one of these in the rear well hidden behind the panelling and ran the fuel pump wire through it . So at least for £20 on ebay I can remotely disable the car where ever it is with my phone and I've also fitted a stand alone tracker (£40) where I can locate it. At least I get peace of mind .

[RichM50d]

Sorry to hear about the theft. I keep my keys in an RFID pouch at night, but am now concerned that if they can’t boost the signal, will they enter the house to get the keys? I’m not sure which is worse.

[X5Sport]

That is of course the other concern, and there comes a point where I think you just have to say “it’s just a car” and walk away, but I doubt it would make any of us feel any better.

Alarms, CCTV, floodlighting etc will only go so far.  Few of us can put locked gates etc across our drives.  If they really want the car then they’ll take it.  We just have to make it as hard as possible, but without giving rise to escalating damage or worse.

[graemeX5]

Hi

Sorry to hear the news and is it worth posting the details of the car so any members can keep an eye out for it, just in case they may spot it out there, as I know one member found his car in a breakers a couple of years back.

Although as some may say would you want to have the car back, but it may help reduce the insurance loss.

Unfortunately whatever security they think up it's some horrible person finds a way to get around, rather than going out and working to pay for it like the rest of us.

I guess having several layers is possibly the only ways in the future alarms tracker and physical devices. Years ago I used to take the plug lead off, to slow them down.

Graeme

[jevansio]

Really appreciate all the comments guys

I hope at least that someone reading this will take away that there are still horrible people in the world no matter how sheltered we make our lives - I for one didn't even realize car theft like this still happened

I bought the car from a trader in high end Porsche's, a guy who I've bought prestige cars from in the past, and he's totally legit, the X5 came from a client who he'd known 20 years too

It really has left me undecided on what car to get next, I saw a facebook post last night locally saying "Parents Merc ML stolen from outside house", thought wouldn't surprise me if its part of the same operation, but again its the type of car i would go for, but now i feel like "is it worth it"?

Then you look at Toyota Rav 4 et-al and are left feeling "simply not a patch on an x5". 

Stupid thieves messing my life up lol

[X5Sport]

Don’t give up on a BMW.  That means the gits have beaten you!  I know that’s hard to think at present though.

[Colin]

As X5Sport says Jay  don't give up on BMW
Think about tracker  immobiliser  lots of stuff out there