‘Easy target’ drivers: Keyless car owners warned over leaving themselves open to thieves
Keyless car owners could be making their vehicles an “easy target” for thieves, as new research from Go.Compare car insurance reveals that many drivers are still, literally, leaving the door open to criminals.
UK police forces recorded more than 133,000 car thefts in 2024*, which is roughly one for every 287 vehicles, and marks an 8% rise since 2019.
Despite this, Go.Compare’s research shows that while some motorists are taking precautions, many others are failing to protect their cars.
Around a third (32%) of keyless car owners say they regularly use a signal-blocking Faraday pouch, and a further 21% say they use a steering wheel lock.** But, others admit to habits that could be making theft far easier, for example:
- 16% keep their keys near a door or window
- 15% have a signal-blocking pouch but don’t always use it
- 15% take none of these precautions at all
Tom Banks, Go.Compare’s car insurance spokesperson, said: “Some of the habits we’re seeing - like leaving keys by the front door or near windows - are exactly what car thieves look for. With keyless cars, it can take just seconds for criminals to access a vehicle if the key signal is within reach.
“Drivers might think it won’t happen to them, but small oversights can make a big difference. Simple steps, such as using a Faraday pouch and keeping keys out of sight, can significantly reduce the risk.”
How do thieves steal keyless cars?
Also known as a ‘relay attack’, this method allows thieves to intercept the signal between your key and your car. If your keys are kept near the front of your home, criminals can use relay devices to unlock and even start your car without needing to break in. These devices are widely available and can be used in seconds.
Go.Compare is urging drivers to think carefully about where they park overnight and how they store their keys. Choosing a secure location, such as a locked garage or well-lit area, and using physical deterrents like steering wheel locks can help reduce the risk.
Motorists are also reminded to be honest with their insurer about where their car is kept overnight. Providing incorrect information could invalidate a policy or even be considered fraud.
To find out more about keyless car theft, visit here: https://www.gocompare.com/car-insurance/guide/keyless-car-theft/
Contact Information
Rubie Barker
Notes to editors
*Car theft statistics are taken from an analysis of official police data, sourced via a freedom of information (FOI) request to UK police forces. For constabularies that didn’t provide data, figures were sourced from Home Office crime figures instead (listed below).
For each police force, we divided the number of vehicle thefts reported in 2024 by the number of registered vehicles in the area at the end of Q2 2024 (the latest figures available at the time of writing) according to DVLA and DfT data (table VEH0105). This number was multiplied by 1,000 to give the number of thefts per thousand vehicles. We then divided 1,000 by this number to give the number of vehicles per theft.
The following constabularies didn’t provide a full data set from the Freedom of Information request, and so use Home Office figures instead: Northamptonshire Police, Essex Police, Hertfordshire Constabulary, City of London Police, Greater Manchester Police, Cumbria Police, Sussex Police, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, Thames Valley Police, Devon and Cornwall Police, Gwent Police, Dyfed-Powys Police, North Wales Police, South Wales Police, Humberside Police and Police Scotland.
** Sourced from a survey conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Go.Compare, among a sample of 2,000 UK Nationally Representative Consumers aged 18+. The data was collected between 14 - 16 January 2026.
Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
Notes to editors:
For further information please contact:
Front Door Communications at go.compare@fdcomms.co.uk
Keep up to date with Go.Compare on Twitter: @GoCompare or you can call 02920 020360
About Go.Compare
Go.Compare is a comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs.
It does not charge people to use its services and does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased. Go.Compare makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.
When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance. It is this approach to comparing products that secured the company an invitation to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) in 2008, and it is still the only comparison site to be a member of this organisation.
Go.Compare has remained dedicated to helping people choose the most appropriate products rather than just the cheapest and works with Defaqto, the independent financial researcher, to integrate additional policy information into a number of its insurance comparison services. This allows people to compare up to an extra 30 features of cover.
Go.Compare is part of Future Plc and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
More information can be found here www.gocompare.com or here https://www.futureplc.com/brands/.