Car theft is a crime that is relentlessly pursued by thieves, which is devastating for vehicle owners everywhere. In 2019, a vehicle was stolen every five minutes in the UK. But did you know that thieves don’t necessarily need a key to get into your car and steal it?
All it takes is a wireless remote for thieves to come along and copy the signal of your car keys and this will allow them to unlock your car. This is because car thieves have advanced their methods and are now using extremely high-tech tools to hack into cars and steal them. Once they have successfully entered a vehicle, they can now use that technology to manipulate the car into starting. After disabling the telematics and alarm systems, they can then command the car to drive off, without actually using your physical key fob.
Many cars these days are keyless, so they don’t require a key to be turned in the ignition, as they are built with stop-start technology. So if you aren’t careful with your keyless car, for example, if you leave it unattended or unlocked, a thief could easily take advantage and jump in and drive away with your car, robbing you of your prized possession
Research has shown that luxury car makers such as Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Jaguar, Tesla, Porsche, Mercedes and Lexus are accounting for almost half (48%) of all keyless car crimes in the UK. The areas that are being hit hard in the last four years are London, where vehicle theft claims have increased by a staggering 265%, as well as Birmingham, Nottingham and Greater Manchester.
However, it’s not just the more expensive cars that are being targeted; no car is safe from thieves, who have successfully hacked into keyless systems belonging to vehicles such as Mazda, Subaru and Vauxhall Corsas.
You might think your car is completely safe in your driveway after you have locked it and you have stored your car keys inside a cupboard drawer but think again about doing this. Expert thieves can also break in and steal vehicles by cloning your car keys, or by using relay technology. Relay technology is used by thieves to receive the key’s signal from inside a person’s home, transfer it to a portable device, and unlock the vehicle. They have successfully tricked the car into the opening and can subsequently drive away, in as little as sixty seconds, in silence, without anyone even noticing.
So, with thieves becoming more and more advanced with their technology, what is the best way to give you peace of mind that your vehicle is safe and secure from these threats?
One surefire way to protect your car from theft is to have deterrents in your car. What could be more ideal than a Pandora alarm, which offers you the most comprehensive security system available on the market?
How Does Pandora Car Alarm Work?
A Pandora alarm is a security system which protects your car from wheel jacking, towing, tampering and hijacking. Pandora is one of the world’s most advanced and experienced car alarm manufacturers.
The alarm is fitted with the strongest immobilization possible; it comes with a minimum of two immobilisers, which are electronic devices that stop the car from starting without the correct key or fob. If a thief tries to steal the car by using the wrong key or fob, it activates the immobiliser, which tells the engine not to start. Even if the Pandora alarm is somehow removed, your vehicle will remain immobile.
There is no easy way to get around the Pandora alarm, because it is tiny and discrete, and uses 128bit encryption, meaning it prevents code-grabbing or relay boosting. According to Pandora engineers, it will be almost 20 years before the technology exists which can crack the encryption of this alarm.
Additionally, it couldn’t be easier for you to stay connected to your car, as the Pandora alarm can be synced to your iOS and Android phones, tablets and smartwatches via the Pandora app. The only premium system with 4G Connectivity and Bluetooth 5.0, the Pandora alarm offers increased range, data transfer speeds, reliability and control.
From any of your handheld devices, you can change your car’s settings, adjust sensors or view status information such as battery voltage. No matter where you are in the world, you can use your Pandora alarm to control your vehicle- in case you need to arm or disarm it, immobilize it or remote start it. Your Pandora alarm will also notify you with texts, calls and alarm alerts straight to your mobile, as soon as an event happens.
Here, you can see the numerous benefits of investing in a Pandora alarm, given how vulnerable they are to tech-savvy hackers and thieves, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on your vehicles.
How Will the Pandora Alarm Protect My Car From Being Hacked and Stolen?
- Some Pandora alarm models have tilt sensors, which detect if the vehicle is jacking up, being towed or if the wheels are being stolen.
- Some Pandora alarm models have motion sensors and internal sensors, which detect speed and movement.
- Some Pandora alarm models are fitted with loud battery backup sirens, which will sound if the vehicle is tampered with, therefore adding more security.
How Much Does a Pandora Alarm Cost?
Here at Car Specialist Customs, we sell a range of Pandora alarms, which range from £499.99 to £1,350.
- Starting at £499.99, the Pandora Storm allows you to safely use your OEM key and discrete Pandora tag, which you keep with you. Using our unique smartphone app, you can have full control over your alarm system, if you want to change any settings, the display or send commands. The product comes with an emergency override button which is hidden and requires a secure four-digit pin.
The Pandora Storm is upgradeable at any time if you want to add more features to your alarm system. - At £599 is the Pandora Mini BT, which protects you from the methods popularly used by car thieves, including roll jam, key scanning and key cloning. The alarm detects your Bluetooth ID tags close to the car, at a distance set by the owner of 1 to 10 metres. If the tag is detected close to the car, the tag allows the alarm to be disarmed through the owner’s fob or keyless entry system.
The alarm also features hands-free locking, allowing you to walk up to your car with the Pandora tag in your pocket. The alarm will detect your immobilizer tag and automatically unlock and disarm the Pandora alarm, all without you having to physically do it yourself. The alarm will also arm, lock and secure the vehicle as you walk away. - At £749.99 is the Pandora Light Pro V2, which has a new remote control that displays numerous aspects including the temperature, voltage, fuel level and all security zones of the car. The system reliably controls the main engine parameters and car state during the remote start procedure. The remote control is rechargeable and also boasts low power consumption. To make life easier, the remote control allows you to extend the system in ‘Arm’ mode for as long as possible without needing to recharge the battery.
- At £1,000, the Pandora Storm Plus features vehicle tracking, all in one. It is ideal for car owners who don’t want to carry a second remote control or LCD pager key fob. The siren is 118 DB loud, making it a hugely effective way to deter thieves. Uniquely, the immobilizer tag which sits on the vehicle’s key can’t be cloned or key scanned, unlike other devices in the UK.
The Pandora Storm Plus also uses GSM to send alerts to your smart phone- so if one of the sensors is tiggered, the alarm instantly notifies you through your phone. Through the Pandora app, you can also arm and disarm the alarm system yourself.
Finally, the Pandora Smart Pro, which is £1,350, comes with an OEM remote ad immobilizer tags. These tags work anywhere up to 10 metres from the car and can protect the vehicle; even if a thief has scanned the code from the OEM key then the Pandora alarm will stay armed. This would make it near impossible for the thief to steal the vehicle.
