Hi All,

Would just like everyone to be aware of a current spate of car thefts in the Newcastle area. Mine was stolen last Wednesday, the thieves are getting into the cars through some sort of key cloning I believe and using the OBD port to start the engine. There has been 4 or 5 stolen within a week through this method. Just want everyone with a ZS to be aware how easy these cars are to steal (even without setting the alarm off). Would encourage everyone to use a disklock or something similar. Devastated doesn't even come close to describe how I feel. This is not only keyless start fiesta's but standard key start fiesta's. 

Thanks and keep your car safe! 

It's the latest way of stealing a car, because the OBD port must be within 2ft of the driver it means it is also very accessible to thieves. If they can't use a range extender to get the doors unlocked they will just smash the small window nearest the steering wheel.and then reach for the OBD. The device used to steal the car can legally be bought from Amazon. It just needs to be adapted slightly. Moving the OBD port or creating a dummy port is a good security method, you can also disable the key from emitting a signal to unlock the car. And there are stickers you can buy to put in the window to say the port is hidden or locked. It is much more common on the ST and is also appending on BMW and Range Rovers.

I hope you come out of it all ok and not too much out of pocket, really feel for you pal.


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Cheers Jonro,

The window definitely wasn't smashed. The alarms didn't go off at all. Don't know how they are doing it to be honest. I know that they will definitely be using obd port but not a clue how they've gotten inside the car. Heard of another 4 stolen last night in my local area

It's pretty simple tbh, they just copy the remote signal that your fob sends out so they can then unlock the car same as you would, alarm won't be triggered.  

It's not new at all, Mk2 Focus RS's were stolen the same way years ago.  As well as a lot of other modern cars, keyless makes it so much easier though. 

Cheers Jonro,
The window definitely wasn't smashed. The alarms didn't go off at all. Don't know how they are doing it to be honest. I know that they will definitely be using obd port but not a clue how they've gotten inside the car. Heard of another 4 stolen last night in my local area

Where was your key?


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Sorry to hear about this.

If you don't have keyless entry or start, the fob isn't transmitting a signal unless you are pressing a button or it's brought in range of the passive immobiliser receiver (In the steering column), but that's incredibly short range.

If they didn't smash the window, it's either been lifted/towed, the code copied when you locked the car or the signal jammed when you locked the car, which left it unlocked.

Ultimately, we can only make it difficult for thieves, not impossible. If they want it, there is always a way. :(

EDIT: The other option is some unscrupulous employ at the place you last had it serviced, cloned or programmed a new key.

As I understand it, smashing the window doesn't trigger the alarm. Accessing the OBD port via the window can be done so that it doesn't set off the motion detection and then once their device is connected they can turn off the alarm and immobiliser and unlock the doors.

The Zetec S has no motion detection sensors. Only the ST does.

The Zetec S has no motion detection sensors. Only the ST does.

A range extender can be used though can't it? If the key is left on the table next to the front door or similar then the thief can use a range extender to trick the key and the car into thinking they are close to each other, that allows the alarm to be deactivated and the doors opened. once inside the thief can use the OBD to clone a new key and start the car. That's the way I saw it done on one of the tv shows recently


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Just now, Jonro2009 said:

 

A range extender can be used though can't it? If the key is left on the table next to the front door or similar then the thief can use a range extender to trick the key and the car into thinking they are close to each other, that allows the alarm to be deactivated and the doors opened. once inside the thief can use the OBD to clone a new key and start the car. That's the way I saw it done on one of the tv shows recently


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That only works on keyless entry or start

. The Zetec S has a traditional flip key so is not broadcasting the unlock code all the time. Only when you press the button to unlock.

That only works on keyless entry or start
. The Zetec S has a traditional flip key so is not broadcasting the unlock code all the time. Only when you press the button to unlock.

Cheers pal, I got confused and thought it was keyless, then I got carried away lol. A ZS theft isn't the work of a high end car crim though is it? I wouldn't have thought it is something that would have the identity changed and sent out the country, more of a joy riders act of criminality.


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2 hours ago, Jonro2009 said:

 

Cheers pal, I got confused and thought it was keyless, then I got carried away lol. A ZS theft isn't the work of a high end car crim though is it? I wouldn't have thought it is something that would have the identity changed and sent out the country, more of a joy riders act of criminality.


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Or they break it down for parts : ford fiesta zetec 2011 front bumper complete Pre-owned £180.00

and I imagine the engine on its owns worth a few bob.

Is this theft been targeted on the mk7 ZS or the MK6 ZS also? Just saying as I have a mk6.5 ZS 

7 hours ago, m_fairfax said:

Cheers Jonro,

The window definitely wasn't smashed. The alarms didn't go off at all. Don't know how they are doing it to be honest. I know that they will definitely be using obd port but not a clue how they've gotten inside the car. Heard of another 4 stolen last night in my local area

Perimeter alarm (I believe) doesn't go off if the small window is smashed, so if they can connect to obd without opening a door, no alarm. 

 

Edit: seems this was already covered above 

On 04/10/2017 at 1:01 PM, Jonro2009 said:

Where was your key?


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My key was on hall table mate, which in fairness is quite close to the front door. probably about 3 meters away. 

 

On 04/10/2017 at 1:10 PM, alexp999 said:

Sorry to hear about this.

If you don't have keyless entry or start, the fob isn't transmitting a signal unless you are pressing a button or it's brought in range of the passive immobiliser receiver (In the steering column), but that's incredibly short range.

If they didn't smash the window, it's either been lifted/towed, the code copied when you locked the car or the signal jammed when you locked the car, which left it unlocked.

Ultimately, we can only make it difficult for thieves, not impossible. If they want it, there is always a way. :(

EDIT: The other option is some unscrupulous employ at the place you last had it serviced, cloned or programmed a new key.

Cheers Alex, as i say I have CCTV and it really doesn't look like they smashed it, and couldn't see any glass on the road

 

On 04/10/2017 at 3:58 PM, Tiexen said:

Or they break it down for parts : ford fiesta zetec 2011 front bumper complete Pre-owned £180.00

and I imagine the engine on its owns worth a few bob.

I'd agree with this suggestion. Its not the 1.0L ecoboost it is a 1.6TDI Duratorque engine. But yeah I imagine it is being broken down. I know of apporixmately 8 mk7/mk7.5 fiesta ZS stolen in the past week or two in my area. I also know of 2 fiesta ST stolen. And I know that a couple of the other lads that I know who have had theirs pinched have the normal flip key fob, so I don't really have a clue how they are getting into them. 

I’ve joined ten various Fiesta groups on Facebook and it’s a near daily occurrence that a member post to say their ZS/ST has stolen!

 

 

I know it doesn't help. But being the most sold car by a long way means there are a lot of them on the roads so more chance of it being a fiesta getting taken :(

Best to prevent a thief from driving off with it by having a steering wheel pad lock and not leaving anything expensive in the car. Could install a tracker if it gets stolen making it easier to find. None of us wants our car to get stolen. 

Also while I remember, two days ago I was chatting to a Police officer friend who mentioned that in the last week and a half, 40 cars had their side window smashed just to steal the loose 'carpark' change. Keep it out of sight!

im in about 4-5 ford and fiesta groups on facebook, as you said its everyday, these two lads got stopped in convoy in their mk2 focus ST's and the officers said to them that 70 fords got stolen in the last week or a few days around Birmingham and surrounding areas.

iv deleted all info of where i live on Facebook also its friends only and dont add random people, due too the uprising of thefts, i dont go home if someones been behind me for 5 or more mins, i take a longer route home. and im buying a disklock. 

im also looking for a place to live so a garage is on the essentials when we look.

Hi All,

Police popped over last night after reviewing the CCTV footage. Believe it or not they are using some sort of pen like device that fires pins into the lock on the door. They put the device on the lock and then tighten it up. As they tighten the device these pins form the shape of the key inside the door. They then open the door, and use the device which is moulded to the shape of the door lock to start the ignition. Never would have thought that they would be using such a low tech but clever means to stealing cars. Was gobsmacked when they told me!

The Fiesta has an immobiliser, so even after getting in, the moulded key wouldn't start the car.

They must still use OBD access to program it. That's why it's always worth securing/moving it imo.

1 minute ago, alexp999 said:

The Fiesta has an immobiliser, so even after getting in, the moulded key wouldn't start the car.

They must still use OBD access to program it. That's why it's always worth securing/moving it imo.

In that case they must be opening the door using this method and then using the OBD port to star the car?

It would probably be a combination of OBD and the key, else the mechanical steering lock would still be on.

It's a bump key, it's what locksmiths use to match a new key to your door lock barrel when you lose yours.  Obviously these end up in the wrong hands though!