You lock your car door, take the key fob inside, and go to sleep. Two minutes later, thieves simply open the door, start the engine, and drive your luxury SUV off the driveway without ever touching your keys. Welcome to the era of Relay Attacks. Here is how they work in Toronto, and exactly how to stop them.
The Invisible Theft: What is a Relay Attack?
If your car has a “Push-to-Start” ignition and keyless entry, it works via proximity. Your electronic key fob emits a constant, low-frequency radio signal looking for your car. When you get close, the car detects the signal and unlocks the doors automatically. Once inside, the car recognizes the fob and allows the engine to crank.
A Relay Attack simply spoofs this proximity. Criminals use a pair of cheap, high-powered radio amplifiers to trick your car into thinking the key fob is safely in your pocket, when it’s actually resting on your kitchen counter indoors.
The “Scanner” (Thief 1)
The first thief stands near your front door or exterior wall with a high-gain radio scanner. The device penetrates the physical wall, scans the inside of your house, and captures the faint, constant signal emitted by your smart fob inside.
The “Transmitter” (Thief 2)
The scanner instantly relays this exact signal over Wi-Fi or high-frequency radio to a second thief standing directly next to your car in the driveway holding a transmitter box.
The Handshake
The transmitter blasts your fob’s exact cloned signal directly into your car’s antenna. The vehicle “authenticates” the signal, unlocks the doors, un-arms the alarm, and allows the ignition to turn over.
Why the GPS and Immobilizer Don’t Help
Many Toronto drivers believe their factory engine immobilizer or alarm system will stop this. It won’t. Because the thieves are using the vehicle’s exact authorized radio signal, the car’s computer believes the owner is performing a legitimate entry. The alarm never sounds, and the immobilizer is instantly deactivated.
How to Protect Your Car (The 3 Best Defenses)
With auto theft in the Greater Toronto Area hitting record numbers in 2026, relying purely on the manufacturer’s security is no longer enough. You must implement physical and digital barriers to deter high-tech criminals.
Use a Faraday Box or Pouch
The cheapest and easiest defense. A Faraday box is internally lined with a metallic mesh that physically blocks the radio frequency from leaking out into the environment. When you get home, drop your keys inside the pouch. If the scanner outside your house cannot detect the signal, the relay attack instantly fails.
Install an OBD-II Port Lock
Once thieves gain entry via a relay attack, they frequently plug an illegal programming tool into the On-Board Diagnostics (OBD-II) port under the steering wheel to create a completely new key, allowing them to restart the car later. Locking the port with a steel cover prevents unauthorized key generation.
Physical Deterrents (The Club)
Thieves using relay attacks rely on speed and silence. A heavy-duty mechanical steering wheel lock (like “The Club”) forces the criminals to use grinders or bolt cutters. This creates sparks, noise, and takes significant time—acting as a massive psychological deterrent.
Can Locksmiths Delete Lost Keys?
If you suspect someone in Toronto has copied your fob’s signal, or if you simply bought a used car and don’t know who has the spare remote, Colourfully Locksmith can help.
We connect our professional diagnostic scanner directly to your vehicle’s ECU. We can perform a full memory wipe of the immobilizer. This process instantly deregisters all lost, stolen, or previously copied fobs from the system, ensuring only the fobs currently in your physical possession can run the vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which cars are most targeted in Toronto?
High-demand luxury SUVs and trucks are the primary targets for relay attacks and export overseas. The Lexus RX series, Toyota Highlander, Honda CR-V, Dodge Ram 1500, and Range Rovers consistently top the most-stolen lists in the GTA.
Does turning off the key fob work?
Yes, but only on specific models. Some manufacturers, like Toyota, allow you to temporarily disable the fob’s radio transmission by holding down the lock button and pressing unlock twice. Unfortunately, most brands (like Ford and Dodge) do not have a sleep function.
Can I just wrap my keys in aluminum foil?
Technically, wrapping your keys in multiple layers of thick aluminum foil will block the radio signal. However, it is impractical, messy, and prone to breaking open. A dedicated $20 Faraday pouch is infinitely more reliable for daily use.
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This article was drafted with AI assistance to ensure factual accuracy.