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A NY Times columnist had his car stolen by kids who were possibly using a repeater to rebroadcast his key fob:
Keyless entry systems typically only communicate with their remote fobs over the distance of a few feet, but he thinks that the gadget is capable of extending this range, fooling the car into thinking that the remote is within range even though it was actually in Bilton's House, about 50 feet away. He arrived at this theory after he consulted with Boris Danev, a Swiss-based security expert:
"It's a bit like a loudspeaker, so when you say hello over it, people who are 100 meters away can hear the word, 'hello,'" Mr. Danev said. "You can buy these devices anywhere for under $100." He said some of the lower-range devices cost as little as $17 and can be bought online on sites like eBay, Amazon and Craigslist.
Sounds creative and easy. Maybe those clubs aren't so silly after all.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 17 2015, @07:14PM
> Maybe those clubs aren't so silly after all.
The club is no deterrant. The club itself is mostly impervious, but most of the time the steering wheel it is attached to is easy to saw through.
(Score: 2) by captain normal on Friday April 17 2015, @08:15PM
"The club itself is mostly impervious"... Unless one has an inexpensive battery powered high speed grinder/cutter with a composition metal cutting blade. Then it only takes a few seconds cut off the club.
When life isn't going right, go left.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Friday April 17 2015, @08:27PM
Wrong track guys.
Nobody is stealing the car. They are simply stealing everything left in the car.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 3, Funny) by nitehawk214 on Friday April 17 2015, @09:10PM
You wouldn't download a car.
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 17 2015, @08:41PM
> "The club itself is mostly impervious"
> Unless one has an inexpensive battery powered high speed grinder/cutter
Pedant for the fail!
(1) 'mostly'
(2) If you have one of those you can cut through the steering wheel even faster, easier and quieter.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by DeathMonkey on Friday April 17 2015, @09:11PM
The club is no deterrant.
Anything that makes some other guy's car easier to steal than your own is a deterrant.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 18 2015, @02:40AM
Old beaters are easier to steal, yet their mere aesthetic appearance is a deterrent.
(Score: 1) by anubi on Saturday April 18 2015, @03:45AM
Not only that, they are apt to fall apart the instant you gun what's remaining of the engine!
I drive one of those old clunkers. There are many parts on their last legs. I would imagine all it would take is one good acceleration to take out what is left of the clutch.
Yup, all held together with bailing wire... but at least it gets me around. Cheaply. Its an old nag, well past its racing days, but I still feed her oats, and she still takes me to market.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 2) by sjames on Saturday April 18 2015, @10:51AM
It isn't much deterrent to an intelligent thief that specifically wants to steal your car. It is plenty of deterrence if the crook just wants *A* car or if he isn't so smart and has no appropriate tools with him. The one in the next space over looks nice too and no need to cut anything.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 18 2015, @12:24PM
That thief is just as much deterred by the stock alarm system as he is by the club.
Since this story is about highly prepared thieves with techno doodads out the wazoo, I think we can assume that rando thief is not threat model under discussion.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Saturday April 18 2015, @08:04PM
It still applies though, perhaps moreso. You can either unlock the car without the club, get in and drive away looking exactly like you own the car, or you can hack away at the steering wheel of a car with the club looking like a car thief.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 18 2015, @08:39PM
Ok. Your epenis is about 10 seconds longer than mine. Winning!