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Original poster

To buy a faraday box?

136 replies

stopmefeelingsick · 29/12/2023 06:44

For my car keys to protect them from thieves intercepting the signal and stealing my new car?

I don't really want one (would look a little out of place by the door and we're on a frugal living push so avoiding unnecessary expense) but it would be interesting to know if other people use them and just how widespread this type of car theft is?

OP posts:
ButDoYouAvocado · 29/12/2023 06:45

They don’t need to be expensive. Or big. Mines just a wallet from Amazon that was around £4.

FrogOfFrogHall · 29/12/2023 06:46

If you wanted to save some money you could just line a box you already have with tin foil. If I had a high value car I'd probably do this.

ButDoYouAvocado · 29/12/2023 06:46

i only know one person it’s happened to btw but it’s an easy fix isn’t it?

SausageCasseroles · 29/12/2023 06:46

What?! Intercepting when you click or what?

GrandHighPoohbah · 29/12/2023 06:48

I have a Faraday pouch. It was about £8 for two pouches. Don't keep it by the door though, if you park on a driveway right outside. The further away from your car, the beo

InTheRainOnATrain · 29/12/2023 06:51

I would- that type of theft happens all the time around here as there are a lot of expensive street parked cars. You can get pouch ones that are barely bigger than the keys themselves cheaply on amazon.

Original poster
stopmefeelingsick · 29/12/2023 06:52

I've never had an expensive car before (usually my car was a heap of junk that nobody would steal!) so it's not crossed my mind before. I was just wondering if this intercepting key signals was really a thing or just something you occasionally hear about

OP posts:
Ilikewinter · 29/12/2023 06:54

Buy a pouch, ours was about £10 for 2. Dont keep your keys by the front door. Yes car crime is rife, accordinging to the police, ours was attempted to be nicked for the steering wheel - theres a shortage apparantly 🤷‍♂️... oh and they also recommendèd putting on an old fashioned steering lock. Anything to deter the thieving twats and slow them down.

Youcannotbeseriousreally · 29/12/2023 06:54

We have one mainly because one of our cars is just too bloody clever and never actually turns completely off when the keys are close. We realised this when not used for a few days and the battery was completely dead!! Apparently the house walls won’t do it but these box things will! They aren’t loads of money and you can just get a pouch.

Ilovemyshed · 29/12/2023 06:56

Yes to a pouch. If you are really concerned, you can usually turn the keyless function off in the car menu.

Don't leave any keys for anything near the front door.

RuthW · 29/12/2023 06:56

I have a tiny box on my keyring. The key just fits in and I zip the key in as I walk away from the car. Came from Amazon and was about £10.

HereForTheFreeLunch · 29/12/2023 06:57

They seem to lose their protectivity after a while. I find mine works best when the key battery is almost gone 😂
If you are money poor and time rich - take the batteries out.
Otherwise - nest a couple of them and keep them furthest away from the car that you can. Back of the house, top floor?
If you were being really cheap you could try the tin foil but it's a false economy if you have an expensive car .

VisionsOfSplendour · 29/12/2023 06:57

Unless you literally have no money how could it be unreasonable to spend a fiver to protect your car? Where do you keep your keys now, how it is more out of place to have them in a small container?

Cars are stolen every day by criminals with antennae, it's not an urban muyh

HereForTheFreeLunch · 29/12/2023 07:00

And also - yes to a nice old fashioned steering lock.

PeonyBlushSuede · 29/12/2023 07:01

Or use the microwave!

I've read they are essentially a big faraday box - just don't forget and turn it on while the keys are in there

Massy · 29/12/2023 07:01

You don’t have to have an expensive car for it to be stolen. My neighbours had their old Ford Fiesta taken off the drive. Fiestas are the most stolen car in the UK because there is a big demand for parts.

Lifestooshort71 · 29/12/2023 07:03

I have a newish Fiesta and they're hugely popular for nicking round here. It's keyless start so I've got a krooklok and a Faraday pouch for peace of mind. Who knows if the krooklok has helped but I'm presuming the little scrotes would prefer to nick one without.

Ilikewinter · 29/12/2023 07:04

Massy · 29/12/2023 07:01

You don’t have to have an expensive car for it to be stolen. My neighbours had their old Ford Fiesta taken off the drive. Fiestas are the most stolen car in the UK because there is a big demand for parts.

We get daily facebook updates from the local police and 2 15 plate fiestas were stolen from a retail park this week - so I agree its not just new cars they want.

Original poster
stopmefeelingsick · 29/12/2023 07:08

Ah, okay. This type of car theft really is a thing then! You're right, a £15 expense to potentially save a £50k car is worth it. I'm just on a massive decluttering drive and we've spent the last year scrimping to pay for the car (it's electric so saving us £600 a month in costs as my husband is a high mileage driver!)

I'll look into the pouches too. At the moment the key is in a bowl by the front door and the spare is in a drawer upstairs (but by the window overlooking the drive!)

I guess I feel lulled into a false sense of security as we live in a tiny village with virtually no crime. My daft neighbour often leaves his car unlocked on the driveway and even went on holiday and didn't bother locking the house!

Thanks everyone! Off to peruse faraday boxes on Amazon now!

OP posts:
cakeorwine · 29/12/2023 07:13

Slightly off topic - but your microwave is a Faraday box. Put your mobile phone in the microwave and try ringing it.

The Faraday cage prevents the waves getting through.

VisionsOfSplendour · 29/12/2023 07:15

Ilikewinter · 29/12/2023 07:04

We get daily facebook updates from the local police and 2 15 plate fiestas were stolen from a retail park this week - so I agree its not just new cars they want.

Show quote history

Thosr can't be keyless cars being stolen by intercepting signals, surely thats ordinary physical means

listsandbudgets · 29/12/2023 07:15

Get one and get a smaller one for your pocket.

DPs car was taken in the night about 8 monthsago.. keys were in pocket in bedroom but were scanned and car taken in space of about 90 seconds maybe less. we've got it all on video.

first thing we did with next car was to buy a faraday box and pocket pouches and put tracking and ghost lock on the car.

they may look a bit ugly but a lot less ugly than an empty drive covered in smashed glass

IncompleteSenten · 29/12/2023 07:16

We've got one, it wasn't expensive.

Faraday Box for Car Keys, Extra Large Car Key Signal Blocker Box with pouch https://amzn.eu/d/4aOD1wX

https://amzn.eu/d/4aOD1wX?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-am-i-being-unreasonable-4972467-to-buy-a-faraday-box

fluffiphlox · 29/12/2023 07:19

Just buy a couple of pouches.

Sally20099 · 29/12/2023 07:19

we’ve got two expensive SUVs and use one but also leave it very easy to find on the advice of the police. A policeman was going door to door following an attempted break in further down the street and his view was that some thieves would just leave after no success but others, if they want your car enough, will break in and at that point you probably just want them to be able to grab the keys and go, rather than the gang coming into your bedroom and forcing you to get them. He said they hardly ever work alone. Scary stuff.