GUELPH – Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington was handing out key fob signal protectors by the Starbucks at Edinburgh and Stone roads on April 21 to draw awareness to car theft and how thieves are using technology to steal vehicles.
Jason Lyall, vice president of special markets for KYCS (Keep Your Community Safe), said many people keep their car keys inside their homes but near their front door – and thieves now have devices that can extract the digital signal from key fobs and use the information to start a car and drive it away.
The pouches that were given away are made of reinforced copper and when keys, credit cards, phones or passports are placed in the pouch, it blocks those signals.
The key fob signal protector can keep thieves from collecting information from car keys and stealing vehicles. The pouches can also protect credit and debit cards. Photo by Joanne Shuttleworth
“We want to raise awareness about this new kind of auto-theft,” Lyall said.
“In Ontario it’s a bit of an epidemic. Theft rings are now pretty sophisticated.”
Guelph Police Constable Kyle Grant said auto theft can happen in many ways and the key fob protector is one way to thwart theft. But there are others.
Grant said ensuring your car is locked is one way; ensuring you don’t leave your vehicle running while unoccupied is another; and not leaving valuables in your car and especially out of view, is another.
“Do what you can to protect yourself,” he said.
Sarah Bowers-Peter, Crime Stoppers program coordinator, said the agency is focusing on crime prevention and hopes people will give the protective pouch some thought.
For those who didn’t receive one for free, they can be purchased from Crime Stoppers for $20. For more information visit crimestoppersguelphwellington.com.
