11 hours ago
Drivers are only just realising little-known 99p household item can stop car thieves from accessing their vehicle
MOTORISTS are being urged to use a little-known household item costing less than ONE POUND to stop car thieves stealing their vehicle.
It comes as the Office of National Statistics reports there were 133,708 recorded motor vehicle theft offences in England and Wales between April 2023 and March 2024.
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This is a 12% increase compared to the same period in 2019-20.
While the numbers are lower compared to the early 2000s, the recent increase tracks with the overall increase of crime figures in the UK.
But to prevent thieves stealing a car, all drivers need is an inexpensive roll of tinfoil.
This can be purchased for as little as 99p at a local supermarket.
Driver Lucy Lewis started the tin foil trend after she took to TikTok to share her straightforward hack for preventing thieves from gaining access to her car.
"I can't be the only one that goes to sleep with the [car] key wrapped in tinfoil," Lucy said at the start of the video, showing how her key was indeed wrapped in foil.
She went on to explain: "I've got a stop start button, whatever, and I've seen loads of videos on Facebook of people's cars getting stolen because they've got that kind of car with the button.
"If I wake up and my car is stolen, and I didn't wrap my key in tinfoil, there's gonna be trouble."
Lucy then urged other people to say if they do a similar thing.
She added: "Please tell me I'm not the only one, because I feel like a psycho and I have to wrap my key – it's like I have to put it to bed and wrap it in tinfoil and it just feels a bit pathetic."
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Should you wrap your car key in tin foil?
Some security experts have claimed wrapping or covering your car key with metal, such as tin foil, can help prevent cars with start and stop buttons from being key hacked and stolen.
Key hacking is when thieves attack built-in systems that can unlock a car when the key is nearby, without having to press a button on the fob or put a key in the lock.
To help prevent car and key hacking, RAC recommends getting a car key signal blocker to keep your car key in.
They are metal-lined key wallets or special bags designed to keep your keys safe.
However, just using tin foil or a metal bin with a lid will also work to prevent the electronic signals from passing through to your car.
According to RAC, while tin foil can help prevent the electronic signals from your car key from pass through the metal, it's not the ideal solution seeing as it's usually difficult to recycle.
Instead, they recommend using a reusable metal tin or a car signal blocker.
How to protect your car from thieves
Wheel clamps are another great option that can prevent your car from being driven away.
Again, they are highly visible as they are often sold in bright colours, and may deter opportunistic thieves looking for a quick and easy target.
Traditional security measures are also considered when calculating insurance premiums.
Rich Morley at Lancaster Insurance explains that, no matter what car you drive, classic or modern, traditional-style security measures can provide extra peace of mind and security for your vehicle, helping to deter thieves in the process.
He added: 'When considering a risk profile, we will establish with customers any security measures they have in place to prevent potential theft."
