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British expats in Mijas warned over tech-savvy gang robbing cars
| Published: | 20 Dec at 6 PM |
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An enterprisingly tech-savvy gang of robbers are cloning car keys and robbing vehicles’ contents.
Operating in Mijas on the Costa del Sol, a gang of youths have found the perfect way to steal the contents of cars without having to break in. They’ve discovered an inexpensive Chinese-made gadget easily available from internet electronics stores gives a free pass to either clone wireless keys or even create new keys, making entry into parked cars straightforward and quiet. The ‘Duplicator Copier Writer Programmer’ is one such, which even provides a selection of key fobs and costs just €70.
One expat victim of the gang lost around €2,500-worth of speakers and other equipment from his car, with no sign at all of a break-in. He’s an entertainer who regularly sings with a local band, and told local media he’s not the first person to have lost valuables in this fashion. Two other residents in the Calahonda Park development have also been targeted, again with no damage to their cars, with one losing all his tools, valued at thousands of euros. The key fob cloners receive a radio frequency message when a car is unlocked, transferring it to another key fob which can then be used to unlock the car whenever it’s unattended.
According to one victim, the scary thing is that they’re being watched and monitored by the gang. Another expat resident on the same development was ‘blipped’ as she drove past a group of young men, and other favourite spots are supermarket car parks and roundabouts. The losses have been reported to Mijas police, but they’re not responding to enquiries by local reporters. The original victim is now warning all expats in the resort not to leave anything of value in their unattended cars, especially during the festive season.
Operating in Mijas on the Costa del Sol, a gang of youths have found the perfect way to steal the contents of cars without having to break in. They’ve discovered an inexpensive Chinese-made gadget easily available from internet electronics stores gives a free pass to either clone wireless keys or even create new keys, making entry into parked cars straightforward and quiet. The ‘Duplicator Copier Writer Programmer’ is one such, which even provides a selection of key fobs and costs just €70.
One expat victim of the gang lost around €2,500-worth of speakers and other equipment from his car, with no sign at all of a break-in. He’s an entertainer who regularly sings with a local band, and told local media he’s not the first person to have lost valuables in this fashion. Two other residents in the Calahonda Park development have also been targeted, again with no damage to their cars, with one losing all his tools, valued at thousands of euros. The key fob cloners receive a radio frequency message when a car is unlocked, transferring it to another key fob which can then be used to unlock the car whenever it’s unattended.
According to one victim, the scary thing is that they’re being watched and monitored by the gang. Another expat resident on the same development was ‘blipped’ as she drove past a group of young men, and other favourite spots are supermarket car parks and roundabouts. The losses have been reported to Mijas police, but they’re not responding to enquiries by local reporters. The original victim is now warning all expats in the resort not to leave anything of value in their unattended cars, especially during the festive season.
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