Caught on film, car thieves who cloned electronic key

A GANG of thieves who use an electronic bug to "capture" the remote locking codes of cars has been filmed in the act.

Motorist Susan Franks said she was shocked when police told her the crooks who broke into her BMW saloon had used a sophisticated "grabbing" device to exploit its keyless entry system.

The bug is believed to have been hidden in bushes near her Finchley home so it could "listen" to signals sent from her key fob to the car and record the unique code.

When the thieves returned, it is thought all they had to do to open the doors was replay the cloned signal. Mrs Franks, 50, who had installed a security camera at her house a week earlier after attempted thefts, said: "When I replayed the CCTV I saw these young men in baseball caps just walk up and open the doors without any effort and start rifling through my things. Apparently it's happening all the time. My neighbours had the same thing happen twice.

"These people can come and get in my car and even drive it away any time they like."

The actress said a BMW garage told her there was nothing they could do to stop such cloning - and quoted her £81 plus VAT to change the key codes. "What's the point? They will just come back and clone it again. The manufacturers need to say what they will do to stop it." Police are investigating.

"Effortless": the thieves are filmed opening the car doors