Retro ‘game boys’ transformed into £20K gadgets that can steal keyless cars
RETRO 'game boys' have been transformed into £20k gadgets that can steal keyless cars, the AA warned.
Keyless car thieves most commonly use a fob’s signal from inside the owner's home to control the car but the new sophisticated gadgets give them entry in just a minute without needing to do this.
The AA warned how the device sold by Bulgarian tech firm SOS Auto Keys exemplifies the sophistication of the technology now used by thieves.
It can be used to record data from cars and the vehicle’s system will then recognise it as an authorised remote to control its entry and ignition.
The device, which went on sale in June, is built from devices similar to old Nintendo Game Boys – the handheld consoles popular with millions of 90s kids.
The company’s SOS Key Tool is marketed as "the most advanced locksmith tool" available.
While it is being sold for £20,000, the AA said the price will drop as the technology becomes more widely available.
The gadget comes with a warning that it should not be bought by anyone with "unlawful intentions" but the AA said it could easily fall into dodgy hands.
A YouTube tutorial video shows how it can unlock modern Kia, Hyundai and Mitsubishi models within just a minute.
The AA has now written to the Home Office and the Department for Business calling for a ban on the gadget’s sale.
It is understood the Home Office has raised the issue as a matter of urgency with the National Police Chiefs’ Council Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims, the Daily Mail reported.
How it works
A user activates the keyless car’s "proximity system" - which allows its entry and ignition to be controlled by a fob - by pressing the button on the door handle.
The 'Game Boy' console will then scan and record data sent from the car.
It is then used to select the system of the car and the Game Boy calculates the required response.
Once calculated, the Game Boy acts as the responder which the vehicle’s systems recognise as an authorised proximity remote.
The car will now open and start as if the user had a valid key fob nearby.
Police leaders have been alarmed at the rise in car theft, which hit a record 106,291 last year with a 50 percent increase over the last six years according to crime stats.
Manufacturers have been blamed for not doing enough to prevent crime but there are fears that fewer traffic police has made it easier for crooks to get away.
Many forces now even treat car theft as low priority.
Luxury vehicles are usually stolen to order and shipped abroad or dismantled in illegal backstreet ‘chop shops’ before being sold piece by piece.
West Midlands Police shut down 100 chop shops last year.
The AA's Jack Cousens said: "As fast as car technology evolves, criminals are working just as hard to cheat these systems.
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"What is most worrying is that something sold decades ago has been repurposed to help thieves. With plenty of old gadgets collecting dust, some will tinker with them in the hope they can unlock a car.
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"Thieves have levelled up from playing Grand Theft Auto on a console to using the console to commit Grand Theft Auto."
SOS Auto Keys in Bulgaria did not respond to a request for comment.