Keyless car theft in Hampshire: the risk and how to stop it
Most modern cars unlock when the key is close. Thieves have worked out how to make your car think the key is close when it's actually on your kitchen table.
Here's how it works, what the local numbers say, and what actually stops it.
How relay theft works
It usually takes two people and two devices.
One stands near your front door with a device that picks up the signal from your key inside the house. It passes that signal to a second device held next to your car. The car thinks the key is right there, unlocks and starts.
No broken glass. No noise. Nothing on your doorbell camera except two people standing near your house for a minute.
What the numbers say across the area
Vehicle crime varies a lot from town to town, and the trend matters as much as the rate.
| Area | Per 1,000 residents | 3-year trend |
|---|---|---|
| Basingstoke | 1.59 | down 17% |
| Hook | 4.31 | roughly flat |
| Tadley | 1.20 | not published |
| Farnborough | 3.44 | not published |
| Fleet | 1.69 | down 27% |
| Camberley | 1.78 | down 63% |
| Reading | 4.08 | down 28% |
| Wokingham | 2.93 | up 42% |
| Bracknell | 4.07 | up 25% |
(Source: CrimeRate, 12 months ending April 2026. "Vehicle crime" includes thefts from cars as well as thefts of cars. For comparison: Hampshire 3.00, Surrey 3.09, Berkshire 4.01.)
But a town average says little about your drive. Relay thieves don't pick towns, they pick cars. A keyless SUV on a quiet cul-de-sac is a target wherever it's parked.
The three layers that stop it
1. Block the signal. Keep your keys in a signal-blocking pouch or tin at night, away from the front door. It costs a few pounds and stops the relay trick dead. It only works if you do it every single night.
2. Make the car hard to drive. A steering lock is cheap, visible and slows a thief down. Some cars can also have an extra immobiliser fitted that needs a PIN.
3. Stop the car leaving. A telescopic bollard locked in front of the car means it can't be driven off the drive, however it was unlocked. It doesn't rely on the car's electronics at all.
The first two make your car harder to steal. The third makes it impossible to drive away without taking a grinder to a steel post in front of your neighbours.
Which cars are most at risk?
High-value keyless cars are the usual targets, particularly SUVs and premium German brands. But any car worth stealing for parts is at risk too. If your car starts without you taking the key out of your pocket, it's vulnerable to relay theft.
Questions people ask
Does turning off keyless entry help? On some cars you can disable it in the settings. Check your handbook. It closes the relay gap but doesn't stop other methods.
Will a bollard stop the car being broken into? No, it stops it being driven away. Pair it with a signal-blocking pouch for the best protection.
Do you cover my area? We fit across Basingstoke and villages, Farnborough, Fleet, Camberley, Reading, Wokingham and Bracknell.
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