ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – A car was stolen overnight Sunday from a Wyoming Street home, and the victim believes thieves used a technique called a relay attack to take it, even though the car was locked and the key fobs were inside the house.
Car theft victim Sherri Brown said, “A little bit creepy that this can happen.”
Vehicle taken overnight
Brown’s 2017 Nissan Maxima was stolen sometime Sunday night or early Monday morning. The vehicle was parked on an off-street parking pad beside her house. When she woke up Monday, it was gone.
Brown said, “No signs of forced entry, no broken glass. Not any signs of forced break in.”
How a relay attack works
One thief stands next to a house with a device that captures the signal from a key fob inside. It boosts the signal strength enough that a car parked in the driveway picks it up like the key fob is right next to it. The door unlocks, and the thieves can get in, push the button and drive away…