Warning after a number of Toyota RAV4s are stolen in Derbyshire

Derbyshire Police officers are warning owners of Toyota RAV4 vehicles to take extra precautions after 10 were stolen in the county.

Since the start of October, as many as 10 have been stolen from addresses across the county including in the Amber Valley, Derby City, South Derbyshire and the Dales.

Investigations are ongoing into the occurrences and proactive patrols – in both marked and unmarked cars – are being stepped up.

Owners of the cars are being asked to take extra safety precautions around both how they keep their keys safe – and more traditional, physical obstacles to deter thieves.

These include the use of Faraday bags for keys for cars with keyless entry, which unlock automatically when the key comes within a short distance of the car, the advice being that if you have to push a button on your car key to open the vehicle, you don't have keyless entry.

Keyless car theft or 'relay theft' is when a device is used to fool the car into thinking the key is close by. This unlocks the car and starts the ignition.

A statement from Derbyshire Police said that thieves only need to be within a few metres of your car key to capture the signal, even if it is inside your home, which means that, even if your car and home are secure, thieves can still unlock, start and steal your car.

How to protect your keyless entry car

• When at home keep your car key (and the spare) well away from the car.
• Put the keys in a screened or signal-blocking pouch, such as a Faraday Bag and check if the bag or pouch is still working every few months.
• Reprogramme your keys if you buy a second hand car.
• Turn off wireless signals on your fob when it's not being used.
• Traditional ways to make your car less attractive to thieves:
• Steering Locks
• High Quality CCTV
• Parking in a garage or with another car in front
• Securing your car with a gate or a fixed post
• Installing a tracker or tag