Gone in sixty seconds? More like forty-five. That is how long it is estimated it takes high-tech car thieves to make off with your pride and joy using a range of sophisticated electronic devices to bypass the car's security system.
Much like a scene from a Hollywood blockbuster, thieves are using these devices, which can be bought for as little as €3,000, to intercept the signal sent between key-fob and car giving them access to the vehicle. Some devices don't even go that far - they merely amplify the signal from the key making the car's security system think it is closer than it actually is.
Once inside the car, thieves access the on-board diagnostic port (OBD) and use it to encode a blank key. So prevalent is the technique that there are instructional videos available on YouTube.
Gardai are advising the use of old-fashioned techniques to defeat these high-tech criminals: "Do not leave your car keys on open show on hallway tables, etc. . . . and an old-fashioned heavy chain will help deter criminals."