Madrid (24%), Catalonia (23.9%) and Andalusia (18%) were the areas with the highest incidence of vehicle theft in 2022, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior. According to data from the Crime Balance presented by the Ministry of the Interior, 30,982 vehicles were stolen in Spain during 2022, that is, an average of 85 cars per day.
Vehicle theft has become one of the main fears of Spaniards in recent years. In fact, 24% of the population affirm that they are worried about being a victim of this type of crime.
Among the brands preferred by car thieves, luxury ones occupy the top positions. In the lead is Mercedes-Benz (14.7%), BMW (14.4%), Toyota (14.6) and Audi (10.4%). In fifth and sixth place are Ford (7.8%) and Volkswagen (6.8%), respectively.
Faced with this trend, the automotive sector has already implemented measures to try to combat car theft, with more advanced security systems, such as alarms, GPS tracking systems and blocking devices. But not only car manufacturers are aware of vehicle safety.
Security companies have also created solutions that allow the user to receive notifications at all times in the event of misuse of the vehicle and warn of a possible theft. “More and more users are demanding that security companies protect them beyond the home, with innovative systems that can also prevent vehicle theft,” says Fernando Saldaña, Commercial and Marketing Director of Movistar Prosegur Alarms.
Thieves have developed increasingly sophisticated methods to carry out their crimes, something that makes effective protection of vehicles difficult. As they explain, some of them use frequency inhibitors just at the moment the vehicle is closed with the remote control. With this, the car doors do not close and the thief can access it without having to force any opening mechanism.
Another new technique that is causing a lot of talk is the ‘man-in-the-middle’ attack, which takes advantage of the technology of car Smart Keys. Thieves use devices that amplify the signal from the key to trick the car into thinking the key is nearby, allowing them to unlock it.
To avoid as far as possible suffering the theft of our vehicle, there are a series of recommended practices. Thus, in the first place you have to avoid parking in isolated areas at night. Free parking lots and vacant lots often lack surveillance, which is why they are a great opportunity for thieves trying to steal vehicles. If you do not have your own car park, the ideal is to leave it in a paid one or in an area close to where you live.
When parking, you have to observe the area. If, for example, you see broken glass on the road or sidewalk where you park, it could be an area that is being vandalized or stolen. Try to find a site that seems safer. In this way, there will be extra information about the area and whether the car is in a dangerous area.
Checking that the vehicle is closed is essential. There are many criminals who use devices such as jammers to intercept the signal sent by the key to lock the car. In this way, even though the victim believes they have locked the vehicle, the signal is blocked and they have open access.
If the vehicle is not used daily, it is very possible that it can be stolen without being aware of it. Thus, the offender will have more time to carry out the theft, increasing the probability of not finding it. The sooner the user notices and reports it, the more chances there will be of recovering the car.
The theft of digital devices carelessly left in the car is becoming more frequent, as they explain from LoJack. The thief does not need to see with his own eyes the owner of a vehicle leave the PC in the trunk, he can comfortably choose his prey thanks to specific applications for mobile phones that receive bluetooth signals emitted by many devices even when they are apparently inactive, signaling their location .
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